Portage, Ohio — Presidential Election Results
Portage, Ohio has voted Democratic in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 4.4 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 31,446 | 50.0% | 5.0 pts (3,175 votes) | 62,899 | — | 9.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 40,674 | 53.1% | 6.6 pts (5,091 votes) | 76,646 | +1.4 pts | 8.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 41,856 | 53.5% | 9.0 pts (7,034 votes) | 78,205 | +2.5 pts | 4.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 39,453 | 51.7% | 5.5 pts (4,211 votes) | 76,239 | -3.5 pts | 2.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 39,971 | 52.5% | 9.9 pts (7,574 votes) | 76,139 | -16.1 pts | 1.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 45,990 | 55.5% | 12.5 pts (10,329 votes) | 82,872 | -2.2 pts | 4.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 47,681 | 57.3% | 15.5 pts (12,922 votes) | 83,226 | -3.0 pts | 4.4 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 | 152,504 | 41.2% of population |
| 2004 | 156,774 | 48.9% of population |
| 2008 | 160,184 | 48.8% of population |
| 2012 | 161,383 | 47.2% of population |
| 2016 | 162,521 | 46.8% of population |
| 2020 | 161,854 | 51.2% of population |
| 2024 | 163,839 | 50.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Portage shifted 21.0 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
Portage has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Ohio's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Ohio Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Portage voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Portage has voted Democratic in 4 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 3 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Portage?
Portage's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 5.3 points (3,175 votes) out of 62,899 total votes cast.
Has Portage ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Portage changed which party won the county in: 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Portage?
The widest margin on record for Portage was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 15.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Portage relative to its population?
In 2024, 83,226 votes were recorded in Portage against a total population of 163,839 (50.8% 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 Portage a presidential bellwether county?
Portage has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Ohio's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).