Lancaster, Pennsylvania — Presidential Election Results
Lancaster, Pennsylvania has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 14.4 pts more Rep. 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 | 115,900 | 66.1% | 34.8 pts (60,932 votes) | 175,317 | — | 40.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 145,591 | 65.8% | 32.2 pts (71,263 votes) | 221,278 | +3.3 pts | 34.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 126,568 | 55.5% | 11.8 pts (26,982 votes) | 228,097 | +20.5 pts | 22.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 130,669 | 58.7% | 19.0 pts (42,188 votes) | 222,436 | -7.3 pts | 24.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 137,914 | 57.2% | 19.4 pts (46,821 votes) | 241,112 | -1.2 pts | 19.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 160,209 | 57.2% | 15.8 pts (44,362 votes) | 280,239 | +4.4 pts | 17.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 166,261 | 57.5% | 16.0 pts (46,142 votes) | 289,257 | -0.0 pts | 14.4 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 | 471,955 | 37.1% of population |
| 2004 | 489,977 | 45.2% of population |
| 2008 | 511,957 | 44.6% of population |
| 2012 | 526,878 | 42.2% of population |
| 2016 | 538,160 | 44.8% of population |
| 2020 | 552,834 | 50.7% of population |
| 2024 | 563,293 | 51.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Lancaster shifted 19.5 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
Lancaster 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 Lancaster voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Lancaster has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Lancaster?
Lancaster's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 11.9 points (26,982 votes) out of 228,097 total votes cast.
Has Lancaster ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Lancaster has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Lancaster?
The widest margin on record for Lancaster was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 35.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Lancaster relative to its population?
In 2024, 289,257 votes were recorded in Lancaster against a total population of 563,293 (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 Lancaster a presidential bellwether county?
Lancaster 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%).