Whatcom, Washington — Presidential Election Results
Whatcom, Washington 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 6.8 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 | George W. Bush | Republican | 34,287 | 46.5% | 0.3 pts (254 votes) | 73,752 | — | 6.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 48,268 | 53.4% | 8.8 pts (7,972 votes) | 90,394 | +9.4 pts | 1.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 58,236 | 58.0% | 18.0 pts (18,031 votes) | 100,339 | +9.3 pts | 0.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 57,089 | 55.4% | 14.0 pts (14,386 votes) | 103,029 | -3.9 pts | 0.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 60,340 | 55.0% | 18.0 pts (19,741 votes) | 109,673 | +5.1 pts | 2.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 83,660 | 60.4% | 23.9 pts (33,171 votes) | 138,620 | +5.2 pts | 4.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 83,295 | 60.4% | 24.7 pts (34,082 votes) | 137,868 | +1.0 pts | 6.8 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 | 167,696 | 44.0% of population |
| 2004 | 181,756 | 49.7% of population |
| 2008 | 196,708 | 51.0% of population |
| 2012 | 204,863 | 50.3% of population |
| 2016 | 216,417 | 50.7% of population |
| 2020 | 227,451 | 60.9% of population |
| 2024 | 234,954 | 58.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Whatcom shifted 26.1 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
Whatcom has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Washington's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Washington Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Whatcom voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Whatcom 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 Whatcom?
Whatcom's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 0.4 points (254 votes) out of 73,752 total votes cast.
Has Whatcom ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Whatcom 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 Whatcom?
The widest margin on record for Whatcom was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 25.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Whatcom relative to its population?
In 2024, 137,868 votes were recorded in Whatcom against a total population of 234,954 (58.7% 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 Whatcom a presidential bellwether county?
Whatcom has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Washington's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).