Bristol, Rhode Island — Presidential Election Results
Bristol, Rhode Island has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 13.0 pts more Dem. than Rhode Island 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. Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 13,424 | 57.7% | 21.7 pts (5,049 votes) | 23,272 | — | 8.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 14,448 | 58.5% | 18.6 pts (4,593 votes) | 24,677 | -4.3 pts | 2.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 16,162 | 62.4% | 26.6 pts (6,902 votes) | 25,905 | +8.3 pts | 1.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 14,974 | 60.7% | 23.3 pts (5,743 votes) | 24,676 | -3.4 pts | 4.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 14,609 | 57.3% | 22.2 pts (5,644 votes) | 25,475 | +0.2 pts | 7.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 18,050 | 63.5% | 29.2 pts (8,305 votes) | 28,415 | +5.9 pts | 8.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 17,458 | 61.6% | 26.2 pts (7,410 votes) | 28,335 | -2.9 pts | 13.0 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 | 50,697 | 45.9% of population |
| 2004 | 52,213 | 47.3% of population |
| 2008 | 50,668 | 51.1% of population |
| 2012 | 49,268 | 50.1% of population |
| 2016 | 48,844 | 52.2% of population |
| 2020 | 50,783 | 56.0% of population |
| 2024 | 50,145 | 56.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Bristol shifted 3.8 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
Bristol has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Rhode Island's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Rhode Island Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Bristol voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Bristol has voted Democratic in 7 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 0 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Bristol?
Bristol's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 18.9 points (4,593 votes) out of 24,677 total votes cast.
Has Bristol ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Bristol has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Bristol?
The widest margin on record for Bristol was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 29.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Bristol relative to its population?
In 2024, 28,335 votes were recorded in Bristol against a total population of 50,145 (56.5% 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 Bristol a presidential bellwether county?
Bristol has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Rhode Island's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).