Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Presidential Election Results
Milwaukee, Wisconsin has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 40.1 pts more Dem. than Wisconsin 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. Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 252,329 | 58.2% | 20.5 pts (88,838 votes) | 433,537 | — | 21.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 297,653 | 61.7% | 24.3 pts (117,366 votes) | 482,236 | +3.2 pts | 24.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 319,819 | 67.3% | 35.9 pts (170,374 votes) | 475,192 | +11.8 pts | 22.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 332,438 | 67.5% | 36.0 pts (177,514 votes) | 492,576 | +0.1 pts | 29.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 288,797 | 65.6% | 37.0 pts (162,951 votes) | 440,247 | +2.9 pts | 40.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 317,270 | 69.1% | 39.9 pts (182,913 votes) | 458,971 | +1.2 pts | 39.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 316,292 | 68.2% | 38.4 pts (178,270 votes) | 464,107 | -1.3 pts | 40.1 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 | 939,769 | 46.1% of population |
| 2004 | 936,914 | 51.5% of population |
| 2008 | 934,752 | 50.8% of population |
| 2012 | 954,595 | 51.6% of population |
| 2016 | 954,841 | 46.1% of population |
| 2020 | 938,609 | 48.9% of population |
| 2024 | 924,740 | 50.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Milwaukee shifted 17.9 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
Milwaukee has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Wisconsin's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Wisconsin Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Milwaukee voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee?
Milwaukee's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 21.4 points (88,838 votes) out of 433,537 total votes cast.
Has Milwaukee ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Milwaukee has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Milwaukee?
The widest margin on record for Milwaukee was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 40.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Milwaukee relative to its population?
In 2024, 464,107 votes were recorded in Milwaukee against a total population of 924,740 (50.2% 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 Milwaukee a presidential bellwether county?
Milwaukee has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Wisconsin's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).