United States presidential elections in Washington (state)
Presidential elections in Washington Number of elections 33 Voted Democratic 18 Voted Republican 14 Voted other 1[a] Voted for winning candidate 23 Voted for losing candidate 10
Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Since its admission to the Union in 1889, the state has participated in 33 United States presidential elections .[1]
In the 1892 presidential election, the incumbent president Benjamin Harrison received 41.45% of the popular vote and obtained 4 electoral votes from Washington. Before 1932 , Washington state leaned towards the Republican Party . Washington state was won by Progressive Party presidential nominee Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 , which is the only time it voted for the third party's nominee as of 2023. From 1932 to 1948, Democratic candidates won Washington state in landslide victories due to the Great Depression and the New Deal .[3] [4]
From 1952 to 1984, the Democratic nominee won just two of nine elections in Washington state. Since 1984, no Republican candidate has won a presidential election in Washington state. In 2009, American journalist Ron Brownstein referred to Washington and 17 other states collectively as the "Blue Wall " due to its political leaning.[5] [6]
Washington state is typically thought of as politically divided by the Cascade Mountains , with Western Washington generally being liberal and Eastern Washington generally being conservative .[7] However, due to Democratic dominance in the Seattle metropolitan area , which has an extremely high population density, Washington state is a blue state in general.[8] [9]
Washington state has signed the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact , an interstate compact in which signatories award all of their electoral votes to the winner of the federal-level popular vote in a presidential election, even if there are other candidate won some of individual signatorys' popular vote. However, it has not yet gone into force as of 2023.[10]
Presidential elections
Key for parties
Note – A double dagger (‡) indicates the national winner.
Note – Percentages may not total 100.0% because of rounding.
Presidential elections in Arizona from 1912 to present
Year
Winner
Runner-up
Other candidate[b]
EV
Ref.
Candidate
Votes
%
Candidate
Votes
%
Candidate
Votes
%
Benjamin Harrison (R)
36,460
41.4%
Grover Cleveland (D) ‡
29,802
33.9%
James B. Weaver (PO)
19,165
21.8%
4
William Jennings Bryan (D)
53,314
57.0%
William McKinley (R) ‡
39,153
41.8%
Joshua Levering (PRO)
968
1.0%
4
William McKinley (R) ‡
57,456
53.4%
William Jennings Bryan (D)
44,833
41.7%
John Woolley (PRO)
2,363
2.2%
4
Theodore Roosevelt (R) ‡
101,540
70.0%
Alton B. Parker (D)
28,098
19.4%
Eugene V. Debs (S)
10,023
6.9%
5
William Howard Taft (R) ‡
106,062
57.7%
William Jennings Bryan (D)
58,691
31.9%
Eugene V. Debs (S)
14,177
7.7%
5
Theodore Roosevelt (PR-1912)
113,698
35.2%
Woodrow Wilson (D) ‡
86,840
26.9%
William Howard Taft (R)
70,445
21.8%
7
Woodrow Wilson (D) ‡
183,388
48.1%
Charles Evans Hughes (R)
167,208
43.9%
Allan L. Benson (S)
22,800
6.0%
7
Warren G. Harding (R) ‡
223,137
56.0%
James M. Cox (D)
84,298
21.1%
Parley P. Christensen (FL)
77,246
19.4%
7
Calvin Coolidge (R) ‡
220,224
52.2%
Robert M. La Follette (PR-1924)
150,727
35.8%
John W. Davis (D)
42,842
10.2%
7
Herbert Hoover (R) ‡
335,844
67.1%
Al Smith (D)
156,772
31.3%
Verne L. Reynolds (SLP)
4,068
0.8%
7
Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) ‡
353,260
57.5%
Herbert Hoover (R)
208,645
33.9%
William Hope Harvey (LI-1932)
30,308
4.9%
8
Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) ‡
459,579
66.4%
Alf Landon (R)
206,892
29.9%
William Lemke (U)
17,463
2.5%
8
Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) ‡
462,145
58.2%
Wendell Willkie (R)
322,123
40.6%
Norman Thomas (S)
4,586
0.6%
8
Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) ‡
486,774
56.8%
Thomas E. Dewey (R)
361,689
42.2%
Norman Thomas (S)
3,824
0.4%
8
Harry S. Truman (D) ‡
486,774
56.8%
Thomas E. Dewey (R)
361,689
42.2%
Henry A. Wallace (PR-1948)
3,824
0.4%
8
Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) ‡
599,107
54.3%
Adlai Stevenson (D)
492,845
44.7%
Douglas MacArthur (C)
7,290
0.7%
9
Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) ‡
620,430
53.9%
Adlai Stevenson (D)
523,002
45.4%
Eric Hass (SLP)
7,457
0.6%
9
Richard Nixon (R)
620,430
50.7%
John F. Kennedy (D) ‡
523,002
48.3%
Eric Hass (SLP)
7,457
0.9%
9
Lyndon B. Johnson (D) ‡
779,881
62.0%
Barry Goldwater (R)
470,366
37.4%
Eric Hass (SLP)
7,772
0.6%
9
Hubert Humphrey (D)
616,037
47.2%
Richard Nixon (R) ‡
588,510
45.1%
George Wallace (AI)
96,990
7.4%
9
Richard Nixon (R) ‡
837,135
56.9%
George McGovern (D)
568,334
38.6%
John G. Schmitz (AI)
58,906
4%
9
Gerald Ford (R)
717,323
50.0%
Jimmy Carter (D) ‡
717,323
46.1%
Eugene McCarthy (I)
36,986
2.4%
8[c]
Ronald Reagan (R) ‡
865,244
49.7%
Jimmy Carter (D)
650,193
37.3%
John B. Anderson (I)
185,073
10.6%
9
Ronald Reagan (R) ‡
1,051,670
55.8%
Walter Mondale (D)
807,352
42.9%
David Bergland (LI)
8,844
0.5%
10
Michael Dukakis (D)
933,516
50.0%
George H. W. Bush (R) ‡
903,835
48.5%
Ron Paul (LI)
17,240
0.9%
10
Bill Clinton (D) ‡
993,037
43.4%
George H. W. Bush (R)
731,234
32.0%
Ross Perot (I)
541,780
23.7%
11
Bill Clinton (D) ‡
1,123,323
49.8%
Bob Dole (R)
840,712
37.3%
Ross Perot (RE)
201,003
8.9%
11
Al Gore (D)
1,247,652
50.1%
George W. Bush (R) ‡
1,108,864
44.6%
Ralph Nader (G)
103,002
4.1%
11
John Kerry (D)
1,510,201
52.8%
George W. Bush (R) ‡
1,304,894
45.6%
Ralph Nader (I)
23,283
0.8%
11
Barack Obama (D) ‡
1,750,848
57.3%
John McCain (R)
1,229,216
40.2%
Ralph Nader (I)
29,489
1%
11
Barack Obama (D) ‡
1,755,396
56.2%
Mitt Romney (R)
1,290,670
41.3%
Gary Johnson (LI)
42,202
1.4%
12
Hillary Clinton (D)
1,742,718
52.5%
Donald Trump (R) ‡
1,221,747
36.8%
Gary Johnson (LI)
160,879
4.9%
8[d]
Joe Biden (D) ‡
2,369,612
58.0%
Donald Trump (R)
1,584,651
38.8%
Jo Jorgensen (LI)
80,500
2%
12
See also
Notes
References
^ Oldham, Kit (March 1, 2022). "Washington is admitted as the 42nd state to the United States of America on November 11, 1889" . HistoryLink . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ Davies, Richard O. (1964). "The Politics of Desperation: William A. Hirth and the Presidential Election of 1932" . Agricultural History . 38 (4): 226–234. ISSN 0002-1482 . JSTOR 3741013 . Retrieved June 22, 2023 .
^ Phillips, Kevin (2015). The Emerging Republican Majority (STU - Student ed.). Princeton University Press. p. 485. ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6 . JSTOR j.ctt9qh063 . Retrieved June 22, 2023 .
^ "Clinton's Campaign Is Focused on Battleground States She Doesn't Really Need – The Atlantic" . The Atlantic . November 2, 2016.
^ Steinhauser, Paul (November 12, 2012). "Holding Democratic 'blue wall' was crucial for Obama victory" . CNN . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "Red state, blue state: Watch 40 years of political change in Washington" . The Seattle Times . September 1, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2023 .
^ Brown, Justin (December 8, 2022). "Exploring Washington State's East-West Divide" . Battleground . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ Webley, Kayla (January 15, 2013). "A State Divided: As Washington Becomes More Liberal, Republicans Push Back" . Time .
^ "Status of National Popular Vote Bill in Each State" . National Popular Vote Inc. November 11, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1892 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1896 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1900 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1904 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1908 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1912 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1916 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1920 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1924 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1928 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1932 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1936 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1940 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1944 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1948 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1952 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1956 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1960 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1964 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1968 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1972 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "Electoral College wasn't done deal in 1976. Will it be in 2016?" . The Spokesman-Review . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1976 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1980 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1984 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1988 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1992 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "1996 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "2000 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "2004 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "2008 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "November 06, 2012 General Election Results - President/Vice President" . Secretary of State of Washington . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "2012 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "4 Washington state electors decided not to vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016. They were fined $1,000, went to court and lost" . The Seattle Times . May 23, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ Federal Election Commission (December 2017). "Federal Elections 2016" (PDF) . p. 43. Retrieved December 8, 2021 .
^ "2016 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "2020 Presidential General Election Results - Washington" . Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections . Retrieved June 21, 2023 .
^ "Presidential Election Results: Biden Wins" . The New York Times . November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020 .
Works cited