HarrisDemocratic45.0%5,780TrumpRepublican53.7%6,895KennedyIndependent0.5%58
R+8.7- Lead
- 1,115
- Total
- 12,846
- vs nation
- R+7.2
- Turnout
- 85.7%
Akashiccounty
Benzie County, MI
Contests in this Place (85 available)
President34 · 1892–2024 · 3 mapped
▦ precinct · ▥ counties · ▢ no spatial detail
President margin by year
Place winner margin
Boundary by 2024 margin · Precinct returns · VEST · MIT Election Lab
The precinct map shows the 2024 presidential vote; the timeline scrubs the county’s overall result across 1892–2024.
President results by year
2024 turnout 85.7% of 15,112 citizens 18+
BidenDemocratic44.7%5,480TrumpRepublican53.8%6,601JorgensenLibertarian1.0%128
R+9.1- Lead
- 1,121
- Total
- 12,262
- vs nation
- R+13.6
- Turnout
- 85.8%
ClintonDemocratic40.2%4,108TrumpRepublican54.2%5,539JohnsonLibertarian3.7%382
R+14.0- Lead
- 1,431
- Total
- 10,228
- vs nation
- R+16.1
- Turnout
- 74.4%
ObamaDemocratic47.3%4,685RomneyRepublican51.3%5,075SteinGreen0.5%46
R+3.9- Lead
- 390
- Total
- 9,901
- vs nation
- R+7.8
- Turnout
- —
ObamaDemocratic52.9%5,451McCainRepublican45.5%4,687OtherAll other candidates1.7%171
D+7.4- Lead
- 764
- Total
- 10,309
- vs nation
- D+0.1
- Turnout
- —
KerryDemocratic44.8%4,383BushRepublican54.0%5,284OtherAll other candidates1.1%111
R+9.2- Lead
- 901
- Total
- 9,778
- vs nation
- R+6.8
- Turnout
- —
GoreDemocratic43.9%3,546BushRepublican51.7%4,172NaderGreen3.9%312
R+7.8- Lead
- 626
- Total
- 8,072
- vs nation
- R+8.3
- Turnout
- —
ClintonDemocratic45.4%3,081DoleRepublican42.1%2,856PerotReform11.2%763
D+3.3- Lead
- 225
- Total
- 6,785
- vs nation
- R+5.2
- Turnout
- —
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- R+8.7MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 18,3102024 5-year
- Population density
- 57 / sq mi2024 5-year · TIGER/Line
- Land area
- 320 sq miTIGER/Line
- Median household income
- $74,8342024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 91.4%2024 5-year
- Black
- 0.6%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 2.5%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+8.4 in 1964MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+69.6 in 1928MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Emmet County, MI · twin score 84.7
Turnout and midterm durability
Participation measured against the same-year citizen voting-age population. Audited cycles count total general-election participants — ballots or participating voters, not presidential candidate votes. Cycles before 2016 predate that series and are derived from the certified presidential returns instead; they are marked everywhere they appear and are excluded from the figures below.
2004–20248 cycles · 5 audited
- 2024 turnout
- 85.7%12,944 participants ÷ 15,112 CVAP
- 2020→2022 drop-off
- +13.2 ptsVolatile
- Drop-off vs state
- -1.9 ptsPositive means a larger decline than the statewide pattern
- Mechanical 2026
- 72.5%–76.8%Recent-cycle and two-cycle persistence scenarios; not a forecast
Participation by cycle
Presidential Midterm Derived, pre-2016
Select a presidential cycle to show it on the map and results ledger above.
| Cycle | Participants | CVAP | Turnout | Series | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,944 | 15,112 ± 90 | 85.7% | Audited | A/A | |
| 2022Mid | 10,762 | 14,831 ± 170 | 72.6% | Audited | A/A |
| 12,355 | 14,406 ± 154 | 85.8% | Audited | A/A | |
| 2018Mid | 9,922 | 14,191 ± 113 | 69.9% | Audited | A/A |
| 10,420 | 14,002 ± 86 | 74.4% | Audited | A/A | |
| 9,901 | 13,798 | 71.8% | Derived | — | |
| 10,309 | 13,391 | 77.0% | Derived | — | |
| 9,778 | 12,984 extrapolated | 75.3% | Derived | — |
Sources and methods
Audited cycles (2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024) count total general-election participants against the same-year CVAP special tabulation, each cell carrying its own numerator and denominator quality grade. Derived cycles (2004, 2008, 2012) come from the certified presidential returns on this page over the ACS 5-year CVAP series, so they measure presidential votes cast rather than ballots — a floor on participation. Where a derived cycle predates the ACS its denominator is extrapolated rather than read, and says so on its own line below. They are shown for the longer arc and are excluded from the drop-off, excess-drop-off, and 2026 scenario figures above.
- 2024: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 311/228.
- 2022: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 306/183.
- 2020: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 301/2.
- 2018: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 297/138.
- 2016: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 293/111.
- 2012 (derived): Certified presidential returns · ACS 5-year CVAP (B05003); presidential votes cast — a floor on participation, not a ballot count.
- 2008 (derived): Certified presidential returns · ACS 5-year CVAP (B05003); presidential votes cast — a floor on participation, not a ballot count.
- 2004 (derived): Certified presidential returns · extrapolated CVAP denominator; presidential votes cast — a floor on participation, not a ballot count; 2004 predates the ACS, so the denominator is a linear back-extrapolation from the 2008 and 2012 CVAP values, not a read figure.
Interactive election map
One map. Every available contest.
Explore precinct resultsSearch, sort, compare years, or export CSV · 26 precincts
Precinct data
Results by precinct
26 precincts · 12,846 votes
Precinct boundaries and identifiers are cycle-specific. This table does not join rows across years without a validated crosswalk.
| Precinct -Almira Township, Precinct 1Almira Township, Precinct 1 | 1,187 | 1,494 | 43 | 2,724 | 43.6% | 54.8% | R+11.3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct -Benzonia Township, Precinct 1Benzonia Township, Precinct 1 | 933 | 992 | 22 | 1,947 | 47.9% | 51.0% | R+3.0 |
| Precinct -Inland Township, Precinct 1Inland Township, Precinct 1 | 548 | 1,072 | 23 | 1,643 | 33.4% | 65.2% | R+31.9 |
| Precinct -Homestead Township, Precinct 1Homestead Township, Precinct 1 | 578 | 937 | 16 | 1,531 | 37.8% | 61.2% | R+23.4 |
| Precinct -City of Frankfort, Precinct 1City of Frankfort, Precinct 1 | 540 | 322 | 9 | 871 | 62.0% | 37.0% | D+25.0 |
| Precinct -Crystal Lake Township, Precinct 1Crystal Lake Township, Precinct 1 | 471 | 350 | 15 | 836 | 56.3% | 41.9% | D+14.5 |
| Precinct -Lake Township, Precinct 1Lake Township, Precinct 1 | 417 | 315 | 5 | 737 | 56.6% | 42.7% | D+13.8 |
| Precinct -Joyfield Township, Precinct 1Joyfield Township, Precinct 1 | 211 | 326 | 6 | 543 | 38.9% | 60.0% | R+21.2 |
| Precinct -Gilmore Township, Precinct 1Gilmore Township, Precinct 1 | 271 | 239 | 7 | 517 | 52.4% | 46.2% | D+6.2 |
| Precinct -Colfax Township, Precinct 1Colfax Township, Precinct 1 | 130 | 306 | 7 | 443 | 29.3% | 69.1% | R+39.7 |
| Precinct -Weldon Township, Precinct 1Weldon Township, Precinct 1 | 160 | 223 | 5 | 388 | 41.2% | 57.5% | R+16.2 |
| Precinct -Blaine Township, Precinct 1Blaine Township, Precinct 1 | 195 | 179 | 6 | 380 | 51.3% | 47.1% | D+4.2 |
| Precinct -Platte Township, Precinct 1Platte Township, Precinct 1 | 139 | 140 | 7 | 286 | 48.6% | 49.0% | R+0.3 |
| Almira Township 00001019-01640-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Benzonia Township 00001019-07600-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Blaine Township 00001019-08840-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Colfax Township 00001019-17120-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Crystal Lake Township 00001019-19180-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Frankfort City 00001019-30260-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Gilmore Township 00001019-32180-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Homestead Township 00001019-39000-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Inland Township 00001019-40700-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Joyfield Township 00001019-42000-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Lake Township 00001019-44240-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Platte Township 00001019-64760-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| Weldon Township 00001019-85160-00001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
presidential history
Party record book
Benzie County, MI · the strongest Democratic and Republican presidential performances recorded here, measured three ways.
1892–2024 · 34 presidential cycles
Highest vote share
Largest share of the presidential candidate vote cast here.
Democratic
Lyndon B. Johnson1964
54.2%
1,983 votes · D+8.4
Runner-up · Barack Obama, 2008 · 52.9%
Republican
Herbert Hoover1928
84.3%
1,849 votes · R+69.6
Runner-up · Theodore Roosevelt, 1904 · 74.1%
Most votes
Largest number of votes cast for the party’s presidential nominee here.
Democratic
Kamala Harris2024
5,780votes
45.0% of the vote · R+8.7
Runner-up · Joe Biden, 2020 · 5,480 votes
Republican
Donald Trump2024
6,895votes
53.7% of the vote · R+8.7
Runner-up · Donald Trump, 2020 · 6,601 votes
Best relative to the U.S.
This Place’s margin against the national margin in the same election — positive when it leaned toward the party more than the country did.
Democratic
Barack Obama2008
+0.1pts D vs U.S.
Place D+7.4 · U.S. D+7.3
Runner-up · Bill Clinton, 1992 · −1.5 pts
Republican
Herbert Hoover1928
+52.2pts R vs U.S.
Place R+69.6 · U.S. R+17.5
Runner-up · Calvin Coolidge, 1924 · +41.1 pts
current representation
Current officeholders
RJon BumsteadState Senate · 32
DBetsy CoffiaState House · 103
RJ.R. RothState House · 104
Seats representing Benzie County, MI. A county elects none of these itself — they are the members for the 1 congressional, 1 state senate and 2 state house districts it falls inside, so parts of the county are represented by different members.
U.S. House elections · 2 House
Senate and governor results are in the Office selector at the top of this page.
U.S. House
Each row shows U.S. House votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
| Year | Vote lead | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 45.0%5,573 | 55.0%6,810 | 12,383 |
| 2020 | R | 41.1%4,903 | 58.9%7,022 | 11,925 |
voter registration
Registered voters
Total registered voters, over time
Registered voters
| Year | Total registered |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 15,088 |
| 2018 | 15,341 |
| 2020 | 16,522 |
| 2022 | 16,758 |
| 2024 | 17,172 |
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net migration over time, and who arrivals are — where they came from and what those places vote
+164 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
Net +1,796 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
Arrivals reported $76,049 in average income, against $76,271 for residents who stayed. (IRS SOI, 2022–23)
The places arrivals came from lean R+2.0 on average — 6.7 points more Democratic-leaning than Benzie County, MI itself (R+8.7).
Where arrivals came from lean of each source
- Grand Traverse County, MI179R+1.7
- Manistee County, MI41R+15.9
- Leelanau County, MI27D+7.8
- Oakland County, MI21D+10.6
Where departures went households, 2022–23
- Grand Traverse County, MI149
- Manistee County, MI57
- Leelanau County, MI33
- Wexford County, MI22
Migration is one input to a place’s political change, not its cause — a shift can also come from residents changing their minds, generational turnover, or turnout. These figures describe the places people moved between; they do not measure how any mover voted.
| Year | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2011 | −59 |
| 2012 | +4 |
| 2013 | +82 |
| 2014 | +181 |
| 2015 | −22 |
| 2016 | +210 |
| 2017 | +107 |
| 2018 | +205 |
| 2019 | +70 |
| 2021 | +379 |
| 2022 | +175 |
| 2023 | +187 |
| 2024 | +113 |
| 2025 | +164 |
Benzie sits along Lake Michigan's eastern shore with a population under 16,000, and its presidential margins have shifted notably since 2012, making it a useful bellwether for rural northwestern Michigan's political drift.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 8.4 points in 1964 and a Republican high of 69.6 points in 1928. The 2024 margin was 8.7 points.
A population of 18,310, a 91% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $74,834 describe the county. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Emmet County and Charlevoix County.
Political twins — counties
The counties whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Emmet County
Michigan
84.7twin score
2020–2024 trajectoryelasticitycollege share≠ % Catholic
Charlevoix County
Michigan
84.2twin score
median ageelasticity12-yr trend≠ Scottish ancestry
Leelanau County
Michigan
83.8twin score
median age2008–2024 trajectory% unaffiliated≠ 12-yr trend
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
Browse places by community — income, education, race & ethnicity, language — all community cuts →
Compare two places, side by side
Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →
Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Benzie County, Michigan. Akashic. https://akashic.app/county/26019/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Frequently asked questions
How did Benzie County, Michigan vote in 2024?
In 2024, Benzie County, Michigan voted Republican by 8.7 points (R+8.7), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 12,846 votes cast, 5,780 went Democratic and 6,895 went Republican.
When did Benzie County, Michigan last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Benzie County, Michigan voted Democratic was 2008.
How many people live in Benzie County, Michigan?
Benzie County, Michigan has a population of 18,310 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Benzie County, Michigan?
Median household income in Benzie County, Michigan is $74,834 — below the national median of $80,734. The Michigan state median is $72,875.
What is the political history of Benzie County, Michigan?
Akashic tracks 38 presidential elections in Benzie County, Michigan from 1876 to 2024. Of those, 4 went Democratic and 29 went Republican.