Deschutes, Oregon — Presidential Election Results
Deschutes, Oregon has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2020. In 2024, it was 4.1 pts more Rep. than Oregon 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. Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 32,132 | 55.5% | 17.4 pts (10,071 votes) | 57,885 | — | 19.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 41,757 | 56.4% | 14.3 pts (10,578 votes) | 74,048 | +4.1 pts | 18.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 39,064 | 49.0% | 0.3 pts (245 votes) | 79,782 | +14.2 pts | 17.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 42,463 | 51.8% | 6.7 pts (5,502 votes) | 81,900 | -6.6 pts | 19.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 45,692 | 46.4% | 3.3 pts (3,248 votes) | 98,557 | +3.2 pts | 16.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 65,962 | 52.7% | 8.2 pts (10,316 votes) | 125,234 | +12.2 pts | 8.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 68,108 | 53.5% | 10.4 pts (13,258 votes) | 127,375 | +2.3 pts | 4.1 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 | 116,566 | 49.7% of population |
| 2004 | 133,756 | 55.4% of population |
| 2008 | 156,820 | 50.9% of population |
| 2012 | 161,359 | 50.8% of population |
| 2016 | 180,666 | 54.6% of population |
| 2020 | 199,470 | 62.8% of population |
| 2024 | 211,535 | 60.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Deschutes shifted 29.4 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
Deschutes has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Oregon's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Oregon Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Deschutes voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Deschutes 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 Deschutes?
Deschutes's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 0.3 points (245 votes) out of 79,782 total votes cast.
Has Deschutes ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Deschutes changed which party won the county in: 2020, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Deschutes?
The widest margin on record for Deschutes was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 18.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Deschutes relative to its population?
In 2024, 127,375 votes were recorded in Deschutes against a total population of 211,535 (60.2% 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 Deschutes a presidential bellwether county?
Deschutes has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Oregon's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).