Rensselaer, New York — Presidential Election Results
Rensselaer, New York has voted Democratic in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2020. In 2024, it was 11.3 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 34,808 | 50.9% | 7.7 pts (5,246 votes) | 68,436 | — | 18.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 34,741 | 47.9% | 3.4 pts (2,451 votes) | 72,514 | -4.5 pts | 16.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 39,753 | 53.7% | 9.3 pts (6,913 votes) | 73,986 | +5.9 pts | 17.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 35,373 | 52.0% | 15.4 pts (10,470 votes) | 67,990 | +7.8 pts | 14.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 33,726 | 47.1% | 1.4 pts (1,009 votes) | 71,562 | -18.9 pts | 25.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 40,969 | 51.2% | 5.6 pts (4,469 votes) | 79,962 | +7.3 pts | 17.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 39,668 | 50.4% | 1.4 pts (1,067 votes) | 78,736 | -4.4 pts | 11.3 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 | 152,684 | 44.8% of population |
| 2004 | 155,523 | 46.6% of population |
| 2008 | 159,011 | 46.5% of population |
| 2012 | 159,437 | 42.6% of population |
| 2016 | 159,294 | 44.9% of population |
| 2020 | 160,888 | 49.7% of population |
| 2024 | 160,749 | 49.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Rensselaer shifted 6.8 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
Rensselaer has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and New York's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other New York Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Rensselaer voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Rensselaer has voted Democratic in 6 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 1 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Rensselaer?
Rensselaer's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 1.4 points (1,067 votes) out of 78,736 total votes cast.
Has Rensselaer ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Rensselaer changed which party won the county in: 2016, 2020, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Rensselaer?
The widest margin on record for Rensselaer was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 17.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Rensselaer relative to its population?
In 2024, 78,736 votes were recorded in Rensselaer against a total population of 160,749 (49.0% 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 Rensselaer a presidential bellwether county?
Rensselaer has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and New York's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).