Cortland, New York — Presidential Election Results
Cortland, New York has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 19.1 pts more Rep. than New York 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 York |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 9,857 | 47.6% | 0.8 pts (166 votes) | 20,723 | — | 27.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 11,085 | 48.7% | 3.2 pts (731 votes) | 22,760 | -2.6 pts | 23.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 11,861 | 54.2% | 10.0 pts (2,183 votes) | 21,900 | +13.5 pts | 16.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 9,965 | 50.8% | 10.7 pts (2,106 votes) | 19,624 | +1.7 pts | 20.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 9,900 | 48.9% | 5.6 pts (1,129 votes) | 20,244 | -17.9 pts | 29.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,789 | 49.3% | 1.9 pts (420 votes) | 21,892 | +4.1 pts | 25.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 11,706 | 53.1% | 6.4 pts (1,416 votes) | 22,063 | -4.5 pts | 19.1 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 | 48,693 | 42.6% of population |
| 2004 | 49,628 | 45.9% of population |
| 2008 | 49,537 | 44.2% of population |
| 2012 | 49,023 | 40.0% of population |
| 2016 | 47,915 | 42.2% of population |
| 2020 | 46,751 | 46.8% of population |
| 2024 | 45,945 | 48.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Cortland shifted 5.6 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
Cortland has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and New York's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other New York Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Cortland voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Cortland has voted Democratic in 2 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 5 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Cortland?
Cortland's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 0.8 points (166 votes) out of 20,723 total votes cast.
Has Cortland ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Cortland changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Cortland?
The widest margin on record for Cortland was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 11.8 points.
How many votes were cast in Cortland relative to its population?
In 2024, 22,063 votes were recorded in Cortland against a total population of 45,945 (48.0% 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 Cortland a presidential bellwether county?
Cortland has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and New York's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).