Somerset, New Jersey — Presidential Election Results
Somerset, New Jersey has voted Democratic in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2008. In 2024, it was 8.3 pts more Dem. 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 | 59,725 | 49.6% | 2.9 pts (3,493 votes) | 120,377 | — | 19.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 72,508 | 51.7% | 4.3 pts (6,032 votes) | 140,279 | -1.3 pts | 11.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 79,321 | 53.0% | 6.2 pts (9,236 votes) | 149,763 | +10.5 pts | 9.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 74,592 | 52.2% | 5.6 pts (7,989 votes) | 142,922 | -0.5 pts | 12.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 85,689 | 54.5% | 12.8 pts (20,184 votes) | 157,092 | +7.7 pts | 1.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 111,173 | 59.8% | 21.1 pts (39,177 votes) | 185,859 | +8.0 pts | 5.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 98,790 | 55.7% | 13.9 pts (24,689 votes) | 177,412 | -7.1 pts | 8.3 pts more Dem. |
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 | 298,761 | 40.3% of population |
| 2004 | 310,424 | 45.2% of population |
| 2008 | 318,856 | 47.0% of population |
| 2012 | 327,407 | 43.7% of population |
| 2016 | 329,875 | 47.6% of population |
| 2020 | 344,788 | 53.9% of population |
| 2024 | 357,467 | 49.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Somerset shifted 17.3 points toward the Democratic 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
Somerset has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and New Jersey's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other New Jersey Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Somerset voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Somerset has voted Democratic in 5 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 2 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Somerset?
Somerset's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 3.0 points (3,493 votes) out of 120,377 total votes cast.
Has Somerset ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Somerset changed which party won the county in: 2008, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Somerset?
The widest margin on record for Somerset was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 21.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Somerset relative to its population?
In 2024, 177,412 votes were recorded in Somerset against a total population of 357,467 (49.6% 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 Somerset a presidential bellwether county?
Somerset has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and New Jersey's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).