Fairfax, Virginia — Presidential Election Results
Fairfax, Virginia has voted Democratic in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2004. In 2024, it was 30.1 pts more Dem. than Virginia 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. Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 202,181 | 48.9% | 1.4 pts (5,680 votes) | 413,775 | — | 6.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 245,671 | 53.2% | 7.3 pts (33,691 votes) | 461,379 | +8.8 pts | 15.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 310,359 | 60.1% | 21.2 pts (109,365 votes) | 516,254 | +14.0 pts | 15.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 315,273 | 59.6% | 20.5 pts (108,500 votes) | 529,287 | -0.6 pts | 16.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 355,133 | 64.4% | 35.8 pts (197,423 votes) | 551,183 | +17.7 pts | 32.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 419,943 | 69.8% | 41.8 pts (251,542 votes) | 601,243 | +4.3 pts | 32.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 386,438 | 66.1% | 35.0 pts (204,543 votes) | 584,387 | -6.8 pts | 30.1 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 | 975,476 | 42.4% of population |
| 2004 | 1,010,938 | 45.6% of population |
| 2008 | 1,044,178 | 49.4% of population |
| 2012 | 1,120,395 | 47.2% of population |
| 2016 | 1,144,188 | 48.2% of population |
| 2020 | 1,148,680 | 52.3% of population |
| 2024 | 1,160,925 | 50.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Fairfax shifted 37.4 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
Fairfax has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Virginia's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Virginia Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Fairfax voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Fairfax has voted Democratic in 6 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 1 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Fairfax?
Fairfax's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 1.4 points (5,680 votes) out of 413,775 total votes cast.
Has Fairfax ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Fairfax changed which party won the county in: 2004, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Fairfax?
The widest margin on record for Fairfax was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 42.8 points.
How many votes were cast in Fairfax relative to its population?
In 2024, 584,387 votes were recorded in Fairfax against a total population of 1,160,925 (50.3% 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 Fairfax a presidential bellwether county?
Fairfax has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Virginia's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).