Portage, Wisconsin — Presidential Election Results
Portage, Wisconsin has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 2.1 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 | 17,942 | 53.1% | 14.0 pts (4,728 votes) | 33,760 | — | 14.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 21,861 | 56.1% | 13.6 pts (5,315 votes) | 38,961 | -1.3 pts | 13.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 24,817 | 63.0% | 27.9 pts (11,007 votes) | 39,422 | +14.7 pts | 14.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 22,075 | 56.1% | 13.9 pts (5,460 votes) | 39,337 | -14.4 pts | 7.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 18,521 | 48.1% | 3.2 pts (1,215 votes) | 38,496 | -10.7 pts | 4.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 20,428 | 50.3% | 2.8 pts (1,129 votes) | 40,603 | -0.5 pts | 2.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 21,503 | 49.7% | 1.2 pts (516 votes) | 43,258 | -1.6 pts | 2.1 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 | 67,250 | 50.2% of population |
| 2004 | 67,789 | 57.5% of population |
| 2008 | 69,641 | 56.6% of population |
| 2012 | 70,425 | 55.9% of population |
| 2016 | 70,451 | 54.6% of population |
| 2020 | 70,412 | 57.7% of population |
| 2024 | 72,040 | 60.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Portage shifted 14.0 points toward the Republican 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
Portage 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 Portage voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Portage 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 Portage?
Portage's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 1.2 points (516 votes) out of 43,258 total votes cast.
Has Portage ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Portage has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Portage?
The widest margin on record for Portage was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 28.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Portage relative to its population?
In 2024, 43,258 votes were recorded in Portage against a total population of 72,040 (60.0% 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 Portage a presidential bellwether county?
Portage 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%).