Sanders, Montana — Presidential Election Results
Sanders, Montana has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 36.0 pts more Rep. than Montana overall.
Jump to year: 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024
Full Election History, 2000–2024
| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Margin | Total Votes Cast | Swing | Vs. Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 3,144 | 66.6% | 41.9 pts (1,979 votes) | 4,721 | — | 18.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 3,461 | 67.2% | 38.0 pts (1,959 votes) | 5,153 | +6.5 pts | 18.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 3,563 | 60.7% | 27.1 pts (1,593 votes) | 5,868 | +10.7 pts | 26.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 3,980 | 67.4% | 38.3 pts (2,260 votes) | 5,901 | -10.9 pts | 25.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 4,286 | 72.0% | 51.5 pts (3,068 votes) | 5,953 | -16.1 pts | 33.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,660 | 74.3% | 50.4 pts (3,840 votes) | 7,622 | +4.4 pts | 34.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,150 | 76.2% | 55.1 pts (4,445 votes) | 8,069 | -5.3 pts | 36.0 pts more Rep. |
Population Context
Total Census Bureau population estimate for the county that year, and recorded votes as a share of that total population. This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
| Year | County Population | Votes Cast (% of Population) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10,287 | 45.9% of population |
| 2004 | 10,895 | 47.3% of population |
| 2008 | 11,433 | 51.3% of population |
| 2012 | 11,375 | 51.9% of population |
| 2016 | 11,465 | 51.9% of population |
| 2020 | 12,461 | 61.2% of population |
| 2024 | 13,895 | 58.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Sanders shifted 10.7 points toward the Republican candidate, based on recorded county returns. This reflects the vote totals in this dataset only; no claim is made here about the causes of that shift.
Margin Over Time
Democratic candidate's margin (percentage points, two-party vote share). Positive values favor the Democratic candidate; negative values favor the Republican candidate.
Bellwether Status
Sanders has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Montana's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Montana Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Sanders voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Sanders has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Sanders?
Sanders's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 28.8 points (1,593 votes) out of 5,868 total votes cast.
Has Sanders ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Sanders has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Sanders?
The widest margin on record for Sanders was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 56.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Sanders relative to its population?
In 2024, 8,069 votes were recorded in Sanders against a total population of 13,895 (58.1% of the total population). This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
Is Sanders a presidential bellwether county?
Sanders has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Montana's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).