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United States presidential elections in the District of Columbia

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Presidential elections in the District of Columbia
Map of the United States with the District of Columbia highlighted
Number of elections16
Voted Democratic16
Voted Republican0
Voted other0
Voted for winning candidate7
Voted for losing candidate9

Since the enactment of the 23rd amendment to the Constitution in 1961,[1] the District of Columbia has participated in 16 presidential elections. The amendment states that it cannot have any more electoral votes than the state with the smallest number of electors.[2] Since then, it has been allocated three electoral votes in every presidential election.[3] The Democratic Party has immense political strength in the district. In each of the 16 presidential elections, the district has overwhelmingly voted for the Democratic candidate, with no margin less than 56.5 percentage points. It has been won by the losing candidate in 9 of the 16 elections.

In the 2000 presidential election, Barbara Lett-Simmons, an elector from the district, left her ballot blank to protest its lack of voting representation in Congress. As a result, Al Gore received only two of the three electoral votes from Washington, D.C.[4] In 2016, 85.7% of the registered voters approved a statehood referendum.[5] In recent times, there have been various statehood movements in the District of Columbia, which advocates making the district a state.[6][7]

The district is a signatory of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an interstate compact in which signatories award all of their electoral votes to the winner of the national-level popular vote in a presidential election, even if another candidate won an individual signatory's popular vote. As of 2023, it has not yet gone into force.[8]

Presidential elections

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Key for parties
  Democratic Party – (D)
  Green Party – (G)
  Independent candidate – (I)
  Libertarian Party – (LI)
  New Alliance Party – (NA)
  Republican Party – (R)
  Socialist Workers Party – (SW)
Note – A double dagger (‡) indicates the national winner.
Presidential elections in the District of Columbia from 1964 to present
Year Winner Runner-up Other candidate[a] EV Ref.
Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes % Candidate Votes %
1964
 Lyndon B. Johnson (D) ‡ 169,796 85.5% Barry Goldwater (R) 28,801 14.5% — — — 3
[9][10][11]
1968
 Hubert Humphrey (D) 139,566 81.82% Richard Nixon (R) ‡ 31,012 18.18% — — — 3
[12][13][14]
1972
 George McGovern (D) 127,627 78.1% Richard Nixon (R) ‡ 35,226 21.56% Linda Jenness (SW) 316 0.19% 3
[15][16][17]
1976
 Jimmy Carter (D) ‡ 137,818 81.63% Gerald Ford (R) 27,873 16.51% Peter Camejo (SW) 545 0.32% 3
[18][19]
1980
 Jimmy Carter (D) 130,231 74.32% Ronald Reagan (R) ‡ 23,313 13.3% John B. Anderson (I) 16,131 9.21% 3
[20][21]
1984
 Walter Mondale (D) 180,408 85.38% Ronald Reagan (R) ‡ 29,009 13.73% David Bergland (LI) 279 0.13% 3
[22][23]
1988
 Michael Dukakis (D) 159,407 82.65% George H. W. Bush (R) ‡ 27,590 14.3% Lenora Fulani (NA) 2,901 1.5% 3
[24][25][26]
1992
 Bill Clinton (D) ‡ 192,619 84.64% George H. W. Bush (R) 20,698 9.1% Ross Perot (I) 9,681 4.25% 3
[27][28][29]
1996
 Bill Clinton (D) ‡ 158,220 85.19% Bob Dole (R) 17,339 9.34% Ralph Nader (G) 4,780 2.57% 3
[30][31][32]
2000
 Al Gore (D) 171,923 85.16% George W. Bush (R) ‡ 18,073 8.95% Ralph Nader (G) 10,576 5.24% 2[b]
[34][35][36]
2004
 John Kerry (D) 202,970 89.18% George W. Bush (R)‡ 21,256 9.34% Ralph Nader (I) 1,485 0.65% 3
[37][38][39]
2008
 Barack Obama (D)‡ 245,800 92.46% John McCain (R) 17,367 6.53% Ralph Nader (I) 1,138 0.43% 3
[40][41][42]
2012
 Barack Obama (D)‡ 267,070 90.91% Mitt Romney (R) 21,381 7.28% Jill Stein (G) 2,458 0.84% 3
[43][44]
2016
 Hillary Clinton (D) 282,830 90.86% Donald Trump (R)‡ 12,723 4.09% Gary Johnson (LI) 4,906 1.58% 3
[45]
2020
 Joe Biden (D)‡ 317,323 92.15% Donald Trump (R) 18,586 5.4% Jo Jorgensen (LI) 2,036 0.59% 3
[46]
2024
 Kamala Harris (D) 294,185 90.28% Donald Trump (R)‡ 21,076 6.47% Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (I) 2,778 0.85% 3
[47]

Graph

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The following graph shows the margin of victory of the Democratic Party over the Republican Party in the 15 presidential elections the District of Columbia participated.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ For purposes of these lists, the "other candidate" is defined as the person who received the third-most votes in the District of Columbia. The total votes across the winner, runner-up, and "other candidate" do not equal the total votes cast in each election because any votes for remaining candidates and write-ins are not counted here.
  2. ^ Abstention from one elector[33]

References

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  1. ^ "Presidential Vote for D.C." National Constitution Center. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "Presidential electors for D.C." (PDF). United States Government Publishing Office. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "Distribution of Electoral Votes". National Archives and Records Administration. 19 September 2019. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  4. ^ Stout, David (December 19, 2000). "The 43rd President, The Electoral College: The Electors Vote, and the Surprises Are Few". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "DC Voters Elect Gray to Council, Approve Statehood Measure". NBC News. November 7, 2016. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  6. ^ Greve, Joan E. (May 3, 2021). "'Our moment is now': can Washington DC statehood finally become a reality?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  7. ^ Flynn, Meagan (April 22, 2021). "House Democrats pass D.C. statehood, launching bill into uncharted territory". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  8. ^ "Status of National Popular Vote Bill in Each State". National Popular Vote Inc. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  9. ^ Leip, David. "1964 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  10. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 790.
  11. ^ Presidential elections 1997, p. 119.
  12. ^ Leip, David. "1968 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  13. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 791.
  14. ^ Presidential elections 1997, p. 120.
  15. ^ Leip, David. "1972 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on August 27, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  16. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 792.
  17. ^ Presidential elections 1997, p. 121.
  18. ^ Leip, David. "1976 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  19. ^ Presidential elections 1997, p. 122.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "1980 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  21. ^ "1980 Presidential Election Results" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. December 30, 1980. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  22. ^ Leip, David. "1984 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  23. ^ "Federal Elections 1984 – Election Results for U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. 1985. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  24. ^ Leip, David. "1988 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on November 27, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  25. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 796.
  26. ^ "Federal Elections 1988 – Election Results for U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. 1989. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  27. ^ Leip, David. "1992 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  28. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 797.
  29. ^ "Federal Elections 1992 – Election Results for U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. 1993. pp. 17–18. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  30. ^ Leip, David. "1996 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  31. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 798.
  32. ^ "1996 Presidential General Election Result" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  33. ^ Stout, David (December 19, 2000). "The 43rd President, The Electoral College: The Electors Vote, and the Surprises Are Few". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  34. ^ Leip, David. "2000 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  35. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 799.
  36. ^ "2000 Presidential General Election Result" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  37. ^ Leip, David. "2004 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on December 15, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  38. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 800.
  39. ^ "Official General Election Result for United States President – November 2, 2004" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. p. 28. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  40. ^ Leip, David. "2008 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  41. ^ Guide to U.S. Elections 2010, p. 801.
  42. ^ "Official General Election Result for United States President – November 4, 2008" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. p. 29. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 5, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  43. ^ Leip, David. "2012 Presidential General Election Results – District of Columbia". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  44. ^ "Election Results for the U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. p. 29. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  45. ^ "Election Results for the U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. p. 28. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  46. ^ "Official 2020 Presidential General Election Result" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  47. ^ "DCBOE General Election 2024 Election Results". District of Columbia Board of Elections. Retrieved 2024-11-08.

Works cited

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