Grand Forks, North Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Grand Forks, North Dakota has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 18.9 pts more Dem. than North Dakota 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. North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 15,875 | 55.9% | 18.6 pts (5,282 votes) | 28,385 | — | 9.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 17,298 | 56.8% | 15.3 pts (4,652 votes) | 30,470 | +4.4 pts | 12.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 16,104 | 51.7% | 5.1 pts (1,584 votes) | 31,153 | +20.7 pts | 14.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 15,060 | 50.2% | 3.4 pts (1,028 votes) | 30,029 | -8.7 pts | 16.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 16,340 | 53.8% | 18.1 pts (5,489 votes) | 30,365 | -16.7 pts | 19.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 16,987 | 54.8% | 13.3 pts (4,107 votes) | 30,970 | +6.4 pts | 20.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 18,123 | 57.7% | 18.0 pts (5,654 votes) | 31,411 | -4.7 pts | 18.9 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 | 66,021 | 43.0% of population |
| 2004 | 67,071 | 45.4% of population |
| 2008 | 66,917 | 46.6% of population |
| 2012 | 67,582 | 44.4% of population |
| 2016 | 70,473 | 43.1% of population |
| 2020 | 73,132 | 42.3% of population |
| 2024 | 73,771 | 42.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Grand Forks shifted 1.5 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
Grand Forks has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and North Dakota's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other North Dakota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Grand Forks voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Grand Forks has voted Democratic in 1 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 6 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Grand Forks?
Grand Forks's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Mitt Romney (Republican) won by 3.5 points (1,028 votes) out of 30,029 total votes cast.
Has Grand Forks ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Grand Forks changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Grand Forks?
The widest margin on record for Grand Forks was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 20.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Grand Forks relative to its population?
In 2024, 31,411 votes were recorded in Grand Forks against a total population of 73,771 (42.6% 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 Grand Forks a presidential bellwether county?
Grand Forks has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and North Dakota's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).