Waukesha, Wisconsin — Presidential Election Results
Waukesha, Wisconsin has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 19.1 pts more Rep. 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 | George W. Bush | Republican | 133,105 | 65.3% | 33.8 pts (68,786 votes) | 203,734 | — | 35.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 154,926 | 67.3% | 35.3 pts (81,300 votes) | 230,363 | -0.7 pts | 36.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 145,152 | 62.3% | 25.7 pts (59,813 votes) | 232,897 | +9.6 pts | 40.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 162,798 | 66.8% | 34.5 pts (84,019 votes) | 243,856 | -8.8 pts | 41.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 142,521 | 59.6% | 26.5 pts (63,321 votes) | 239,042 | +6.2 pts | 27.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 159,649 | 59.6% | 20.8 pts (55,743 votes) | 267,996 | +7.4 pts | 21.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 162,768 | 59.0% | 19.7 pts (54,290 votes) | 275,787 | +1.1 pts | 19.1 pts more Rep. |
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 | 362,169 | 56.3% of population |
| 2004 | 376,243 | 61.2% of population |
| 2008 | 386,691 | 60.2% of population |
| 2012 | 392,810 | 62.1% of population |
| 2016 | 398,521 | 60.0% of population |
| 2020 | 407,518 | 65.8% of population |
| 2024 | 417,029 | 66.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Waukesha shifted 14.8 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
Waukesha has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Wisconsin's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Wisconsin Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Waukesha voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Waukesha has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Waukesha?
Waukesha's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 20.0 points (54,290 votes) out of 275,787 total votes cast.
Has Waukesha ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Waukesha has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Waukesha?
The widest margin on record for Waukesha was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 35.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Waukesha relative to its population?
In 2024, 275,787 votes were recorded in Waukesha against a total population of 417,029 (66.1% 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 Waukesha a presidential bellwether county?
Waukesha has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Wisconsin's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).