Ottawa, Ohio — Presidential Election Results
Ottawa, Ohio 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 14.0 pts more Rep. than Ohio 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. Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 9,917 | 49.7% | 2.2 pts (432 votes) | 19,968 | — | 1.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 12,075 | 51.9% | 4.1 pts (961 votes) | 23,257 | -1.9 pts | 2.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 12,049 | 52.2% | 6.2 pts (1,431 votes) | 23,069 | +10.5 pts | 1.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 11,503 | 51.2% | 4.3 pts (965 votes) | 22,456 | -1.9 pts | 1.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 12,653 | 56.9% | 19.7 pts (4,368 votes) | 22,218 | -25.2 pts | 12.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 14,628 | 60.9% | 23.4 pts (5,620 votes) | 24,007 | -2.9 pts | 15.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 14,872 | 62.1% | 25.1 pts (6,006 votes) | 23,960 | -1.5 pts | 14.0 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 | 40,983 | 48.7% of population |
| 2004 | 41,564 | 56.0% of population |
| 2008 | 41,554 | 55.5% of population |
| 2012 | 41,242 | 54.4% of population |
| 2016 | 40,488 | 54.9% of population |
| 2020 | 40,298 | 59.6% of population |
| 2024 | 39,692 | 60.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Ottawa shifted 23.1 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
Ottawa has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and Ohio's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Ohio Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Ottawa voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Ottawa 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 Ottawa?
Ottawa's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 2.2 points (432 votes) out of 19,968 total votes cast.
Has Ottawa ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Ottawa 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 Ottawa?
The widest margin on record for Ottawa was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 25.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Ottawa relative to its population?
In 2024, 23,960 votes were recorded in Ottawa against a total population of 39,692 (60.4% 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 Ottawa a presidential bellwether county?
Ottawa has matched the national popular winner in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections (86%), and Ohio's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).