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Presidential elections in California
Presidential elections in California Number of elections 43 Voted Democratic 19 Voted Republican 22 Voted other 2 Voted for winning candidate 35 Voted for losing candidate 8
Since being admitted to the Union in 1850, California has participated in 43 presidential elections. A bellwether from 1888 to 1996 , voting for the losing candidates only three times in that span, California has become a reliable state for Democratic presidential candidates since 1992 .
Bold indicates the presidential candidate who won the national election.
Year
Winner
Runner-up
Other
Sources
Candidate
Party
Votes
%
Candidate
Party
Votes
%
Votes
%
1852
Franklin Pierce
Democratic
40,721
53.02%
4
Winfield Scott
Whig
35,972
46.83%
–
117
0.15%
–
4
[1]
1856
James Buchanan
Democratic
53,342
48.38%
4
Millard Fillmore
Know Nothing
36,195
32.83%
–
20,718
18.79%
–
4
[2] [a]
1860
Abraham Lincoln
Republican
38,733
32.30%
4
Stephen A. Douglas
Democratic
37,999
31.70%
–
43,095
35.96%
–
4
[3] [b]
1864
Abraham Lincoln
National Union
62,053
58.60%
5
George B. McClellan
Democratic
43,837
41.40%
–
–
–
–
5
[4]
1868
Ulysses S. Grant
Republican
54,588
50.20%
5
Horatio Seymour
Democratic
54,068
49.80%
–
–
–
–
5
[5]
1872
Ulysses S. Grant
Republican
54,007
56.38%
6
Horace Greeley
Liberal Republican
40,717
42.51%
–
1,061
1.11%
–
6
[6]
1876
Rutherford B. Hayes
Republican
79,258
50.88%
6
Samuel J. Tilden
Democratic
76,460
49.08%
–
66
0.04%
–
6
[7]
1880
Winfield Scott Hancock
Democratic
80,426
48.98%
5
James A. Garfield
Republican
80,282
48.89%
1
3,510
2.14%
–
6
[8]
1884
James G. Blaine
Republican
102,369
51.97%
8
Grover Cleveland
Democratic
89,288
45.33%
–
5,331
2.71%
–
8
[9]
1888
Benjamin Harrison
Republican
124,816
49.66%
8
Grover Cleveland
Democratic
117,729
46.84%
–
8,794
3.49%
–
8
[10]
1892
Grover Cleveland
Democratic
118,174
43.83%
8
Benjamin Harrison
Republican
118,027
43.78%
1
33,408
12.39%
–
9
[11] [c]
1896
William McKinley
Republican
146,688
49.16%
8
William Jennings Bryan
Democratic
144,766
48.51%
1
6,965
2.33%
–
9
[12]
1900
William McKinley
Republican
164,755
54.50%
9
William Jennings Bryan
Democratic
124,985
41.34%
–
13,264
4.38%
–
9
[13]
1904
Theodore Roosevelt
Republican
205,226
61.84%
10
Alton B. Parker
Democratic
89,404
26.94%
–
37,248
11.22%
–
10
[14] [d]
1908
William Howard Taft
Republican
214,398
55.46%
10
William Jennings Bryan
Democratic
127,492
32.98%
–
44,707
11.56%
–
10
[15] [e]
1912
Theodore Roosevelt
Progressive
283,610
41.83%
11
Woodrow Wilson
Democratic
283,436
41.81%
2
110,898
16.36%
–
13
[16] [f]
1916
Woodrow Wilson
Democratic
466,289
46.65%
13
Charles Evans Hughes
Republican
462,516
46.27%
–
70,798
7.08%
–
13
[17]
1920
Warren G. Harding
Republican
624,992
66.20%
13
James M. Cox
Democratic
229,191
24.28%
–
89,867
9.52%
–
13
[18] [g]
1924
Calvin Coolidge
Republican
733,250
57.20%
13
Robert M. La Follette
Socialist
424,649
33.13%
–
124,001
9.67%
–
13
[19] [h]
1928
Herbert Hoover
Republican
1,162,323
64.69%
13
Al Smith
Democratic
614,365
34.19%
–
19,968
1.11%
–
13
[20]
1932
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic
1,324,157
58.39%
22
Herbert Hoover
Republican
847,902
37.39%
–
95,907
4.22%
–
22
[21]
1936
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic
1,766,836
66.95%
22
Alf Landon
Republican
836,431
31.70%
–
35,615
1.35%
–
22
[22]
1940
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic
1,877,618
57.44%
22
Wendell Willkie
Republican
1,351,419
41.34%
–
39,754
1.22%
–
22
[23]
1944
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Democratic
1,988,564
56.48%
25
Thomas E. Dewey
Republican
1,512,965
42.97%
–
19,346
0.55%
–
25
[24]
1948
Harry S. Truman
Democratic
1,913,134
47.57%
25
Thomas E. Dewey
Republican
1,895,269
47.13%
–
213,135
5.29%
–
25
[25]
1952
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican
3,035,587
56.83%
32
Adlai Stevenson II
Democratic
2,257,646
42.27%
–
48,370
0.90%
–
32
[26]
1956
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican
3,027,668
55.39%
32
Adlai Stevenson II
Democratic
2,420,135
44.27%
–
18,552
0.34%
–
32
[27]
1960
Richard Nixon
Republican
3,259,722
50.10%
32
John F. Kennedy
Democratic
3,224,099
49.55%
–
22,757
0.35%
–
32
[28]
1964
Lyndon B. Johnson
Democratic
4,171,877
59.11%
40
Barry Goldwater
Republican
2,879,108
40.79%
–
6,601
0.09%
–
40
[29]
1968
Richard Nixon
Republican
3,467,664
47.82%
40
Hubert Humphrey
Democratic
3,244,318
44.74%
–
539,605
7.44%
–
40
[30] [i]
1972
Richard Nixon
Republican
4,602,096
55.00%
45
George McGovern
Democratic
3,475,847
41.54%
–
289,919
3.47%
–
45
[31]
1976
Gerald Ford
Republican
3,882,244
49.35%
45
Jimmy Carter
Democratic
3,742,284
47.57%
–
242,589
3.08%
–
45
[32]
1980
Ronald Reagan
Republican
4,524,858
52.69%
45
Jimmy Carter
Democratic
3,083,661
35.91%
–
978,544
11.40%
–
45
[33] [j]
1984
Ronald Reagan
Republican
5,467,009
57.51%
47
Walter Mondale
Democratic
3,922,519
41.27%
–
115,895
1.22%
–
47
[34]
1988
George H. W. Bush
Republican
5,054,917
51.13%
47
Michael Dukakis
Democratic
4,702,233
47.56%
–
129,914
1.32%
–
47
[35]
1992
Bill Clinton
Democratic
5,121,325
46.01%
54
George H. W. Bush
Republican
3,630,574
32.61%
–
2,379,822
21.38%
–
54
[36] [k]
1996
Bill Clinton
Democratic
5,119,835
51.10%
54
Bob Dole
Republican
3,828,380
38.21%
–
1,071,269
10.68%
–
54
[37] [l]
2000
Al Gore
Democratic
5,861,203
53.45%
54
George W. Bush
Republican
4,567,429
41.65%
–
537,224
4.91%
–
54
[38]
2004
John Kerry
Democratic
6,745,485
54.31%
55
George W. Bush
Republican
5,509,826
44.36%
–
166,548
1.34%
–
55
[39]
2008
Barack Obama
Democratic
8,274,473
61.01%
55
John McCain
Republican
5,011,781
36.95%
–
296,829
2.19%
–
55
[40]
2012
Barack Obama
Democratic
7,854,285
60.24%
55
Mitt Romney
Republican
4,839,958
37.12%
–
361,572
2.77%
–
55
[41]
2016
Hillary Clinton
Democratic
8,753,788
61.73%
55
Donald Trump
Republican
4,483,810
31.62%
–
1,005,843
7.06%
–
55
[42]
2020
Joe Biden
Democratic
11,110,250
63.48%
55
Donald Trump
Republican
6,006,429
34.32%
–
384,192
2.20%
–
55
[43]
Year
Candidate
Party
Votes
%
Candidate
Party
Votes
%
Votes
%
Sources
Winner
Runner-up
Other
See also [ edit ]
^ In 1856, Republican candidate John C. Frémont won 20,704 votes (18.78%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[2]
^ In 1860, Southern Democratic candidate John C. Breckinridge won 33,969 votes (28.35%), and Constitutional Union candidate John Bell won 9,111 votes (7.60%) in California but neither received an electoral vote from the state.[3]
^ In 1892, Populist candidate James B. Weaver won 25,311 votes (9.39%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[11]
^ In 1904, Socialist candidate Eugene V. Debs won 29,535 votes (8.90%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[14]
^ In 1908, Socialist candidate Eugene V. Debs won 28,659 votes (7.41%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[15]
^ In 1912, Socialist candidate Eugene V. Debs won 79,201 votes (11.68%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[16]
^ In 1920, Socialist candidate Eugene V. Debs won 64,076 votes (6.79%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[18]
^ In 1924, Democratic candidate John W. Davis won 105,514 votes (8.23%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[19]
^ In 1968, American Independent candidate George Wallace won 487,270 votes (6.72%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[30]
^ In 1980, Independent candidate John B. Anderson won 739,833 votes (8.72%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[33]
^ In 1992, Independent candidate Ross Perot won 2,296,006 votes (20.63%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[36]
^ In 1996, Reform candidate Ross Perot won 697,847 votes (6.96%) in California but did not receive an electoral vote from the state.[37]
References [ edit ]
^ Leip, Dave. "1852 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1856 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1860 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1864 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1868 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1872 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1876 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1880 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1884 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1888 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1892 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1896 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1900 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1904 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1908 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1912 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1916 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1920 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1924 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1928 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1932 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1936 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1940 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1944 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1948 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1952 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1956 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1960 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1964 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1968 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1972 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Leip, Dave. "1976 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Leip, Dave. "1980 Presidential General Election Results - California" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Archived from the original on June 3, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Thomas, Richard C. "Federal Elections 84" (PDF) . Federal Election Commission . Archived from the original (PDF) on August 21, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Thomas, Richard C. "Federal Elections 88" (PDF) . Federal Election Commission . Archived from the original (PDF) on November 13, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Eu, March Fong. "Statement of Vote – November 3, 1992, General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of California . Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ a b Jones, Bill. "Statement of Vote – November 5, 1996, General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of California . Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Jones, Bill. "Statement of Vote – November 7, 2000, General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of California . Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Shelley, Kevin. "Statement of Vote – November 2, 2004, General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of California . Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Bowen, Debra. "Statement of Vote – November 4, 2008, General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of California . Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Bowen, Debra. "Statement of Vote – November 6, 2012, General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of California . Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Padilla, Alex. "Statement of Vote – November 8, 2016, General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of California . Archived from the original (PDF) on November 23, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020 .
^ Padilla, Alex. "Statement of Vote – November 3, 2020, General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of California . Archived from the original (PDF) on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020 .