Chester, Pennsylvania — Presidential Election Results
Chester, Pennsylvania has voted Democratic in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2016. In 2024, it was 16.3 pts more Dem. than Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 100,080 | 53.4% | 9.6 pts (18,033 votes) | 187,562 | — | 14.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 120,036 | 52.0% | 4.5 pts (10,328 votes) | 230,823 | +5.4 pts | 7.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 137,833 | 54.2% | 9.2 pts (23,412 votes) | 254,305 | +13.8 pts | 1.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 124,840 | 49.5% | 0.2 pts (529 votes) | 251,973 | -9.5 pts | 5.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 141,682 | 52.7% | 9.5 pts (25,568 votes) | 268,800 | +10.1 pts | 10.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 182,372 | 58.0% | 17.1 pts (53,807 votes) | 314,502 | +7.4 pts | 16.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 184,281 | 56.7% | 14.5 pts (46,982 votes) | 324,964 | -2.7 pts | 16.3 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 | 435,303 | 43.1% of population |
| 2004 | 462,902 | 49.9% of population |
| 2008 | 491,473 | 51.7% of population |
| 2012 | 506,089 | 49.8% of population |
| 2016 | 516,767 | 52.0% of population |
| 2020 | 534,860 | 58.8% of population |
| 2024 | 560,745 | 58.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Chester shifted 24.5 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
Chester has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Pennsylvania's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Pennsylvania Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Chester voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Chester 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 Chester?
Chester's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Mitt Romney (Republican) won by 0.2 points (529 votes) out of 251,973 total votes cast.
Has Chester ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Chester changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Chester?
The widest margin on record for Chester was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 17.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Chester relative to its population?
In 2024, 324,964 votes were recorded in Chester against a total population of 560,745 (58.0% 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 Chester a presidential bellwether county?
Chester has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Pennsylvania's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).