Thurston, Washington — Presidential Election Results
Thurston, Washington has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 2.2 pts more Dem. than Washington 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. Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 50,467 | 51.8% | 10.8 pts (10,543 votes) | 97,407 | — | 5.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 62,650 | 55.5% | 13.0 pts (14,658 votes) | 112,789 | +1.6 pts | 6.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 75,882 | 59.9% | 21.7 pts (27,516 votes) | 126,709 | +8.9 pts | 4.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 74,037 | 58.3% | 19.5 pts (24,750 votes) | 127,063 | -2.1 pts | 4.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 68,798 | 53.2% | 15.6 pts (20,174 votes) | 129,410 | -2.9 pts | 0.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 96,608 | 57.5% | 18.6 pts (31,331 votes) | 168,134 | +2.2 pts | 0.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 95,663 | 58.1% | 20.3 pts (33,381 votes) | 164,537 | +1.8 pts | 2.2 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 | 208,287 | 46.8% of population |
| 2004 | 222,985 | 50.6% of population |
| 2008 | 244,332 | 51.9% of population |
| 2012 | 258,527 | 49.1% of population |
| 2016 | 273,714 | 47.3% of population |
| 2020 | 296,018 | 56.8% of population |
| 2024 | 302,912 | 54.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Thurston shifted 9.5 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
Thurston has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Washington's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Washington Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Thurston voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Thurston 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 Thurston?
Thurston's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 11.7 points (10,543 votes) out of 97,407 total votes cast.
Has Thurston ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Thurston has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Thurston?
The widest margin on record for Thurston was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 22.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Thurston relative to its population?
In 2024, 164,537 votes were recorded in Thurston against a total population of 302,912 (54.3% 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 Thurston a presidential bellwether county?
Thurston has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Washington's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).