Erie, Pennsylvania — Presidential Election Results
Erie, Pennsylvania has voted Democratic in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2024. In 2024, it was 0.7 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 59,399 | 52.9% | 9.2 pts (10,372 votes) | 112,335 | — | 5.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 67,921 | 53.9% | 8.4 pts (10,549 votes) | 125,898 | -1.1 pts | 5.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 75,775 | 59.4% | 19.9 pts (25,424 votes) | 127,642 | +11.7 pts | 9.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 68,036 | 57.4% | 16.0 pts (19,011 votes) | 118,619 | -3.9 pts | 10.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 60,069 | 48.6% | 1.6 pts (1,957 votes) | 123,679 | -17.9 pts | 0.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 68,286 | 49.8% | 1.0 pts (1,417 votes) | 137,083 | +2.7 pts | 0.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 68,866 | 50.0% | 1.0 pts (1,410 votes) | 137,595 | -2.1 pts | 0.7 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 | 280,803 | 40.0% of population |
| 2004 | 277,864 | 45.3% of population |
| 2008 | 278,686 | 45.8% of population |
| 2012 | 281,532 | 42.1% of population |
| 2016 | 276,170 | 44.8% of population |
| 2020 | 270,739 | 50.6% of population |
| 2024 | 267,750 | 51.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Erie shifted 10.6 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
Erie has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Pennsylvania's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Pennsylvania Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Erie voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Erie has voted Democratic in 5 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 2 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Erie?
Erie's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 1.0 points (1,410 votes) out of 137,595 total votes cast.
Has Erie ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Erie changed which party won the county in: 2016, 2020, 2024, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Erie?
The widest margin on record for Erie was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 20.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Erie relative to its population?
In 2024, 137,595 votes were recorded in Erie against a total population of 267,750 (51.4% 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 Erie a presidential bellwether county?
Erie has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Pennsylvania's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).