Cape May, New Jersey — Presidential Election Results
Cape May, New Jersey has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 25.6 pts more Rep. than New Jersey 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. New Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 23,794 | 50.0% | 3.4 pts (1,605 votes) | 47,594 | — | 19.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 28,832 | 56.8% | 14.5 pts (7,357 votes) | 50,762 | -11.1 pts | 21.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 27,288 | 54.2% | 8.7 pts (4,395 votes) | 50,381 | +5.9 pts | 24.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 25,781 | 53.8% | 8.6 pts (4,124 votes) | 47,931 | +0.1 pts | 26.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 28,446 | 58.4% | 19.9 pts (9,696 votes) | 48,722 | -11.9 pts | 35.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 33,158 | 57.5% | 16.0 pts (9,217 votes) | 57,714 | +4.4 pts | 32.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 32,151 | 58.9% | 19.2 pts (10,503 votes) | 54,568 | -3.4 pts | 25.6 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 | 102,314 | 46.5% of population |
| 2004 | 100,482 | 50.5% of population |
| 2008 | 97,550 | 51.6% of population |
| 2012 | 96,228 | 49.8% of population |
| 2016 | 93,655 | 52.0% of population |
| 2020 | 95,051 | 60.7% of population |
| 2024 | 93,875 | 58.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Cape May shifted 16.0 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
Cape May has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and New Jersey's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other New Jersey Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Cape May voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Cape May 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 Cape May?
Cape May's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 3.5 points (1,605 votes) out of 47,594 total votes cast.
Has Cape May ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Cape May has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Cape May?
The widest margin on record for Cape May was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 20.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Cape May relative to its population?
In 2024, 54,568 votes were recorded in Cape May against a total population of 93,875 (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 Cape May a presidential bellwether county?
Cape May has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and New Jersey's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%).