Minnesota — 2008 presidential election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate2008 presidential electionMinnesota · PresidentObamaD+10.2
How it voted
Share of the 2008 vote
| Barack Obama ✓Democratic | 54.1% | 1,573,354 |
|---|---|---|
| John McCainRepublican | 43.8% | 1,275,409 |
| OtherAll other candidates | 2.1% | 61,607 |
2008presidential margin
D+60R+60
87 counties, each filled by 2008 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
Minnesota cast 10 electoral votes this cycle.
County-level results (87 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Aitkin County, MN | Democratic | D+0.1 |
| Anoka County, MN | Republican | R+2.4 |
| Becker County, MN | Republican | R+6.9 |
| Beltrami County, MN | Democratic | D+10.2 |
| Benton County, MN | Republican | R+9.7 |
| Big Stone County, MN | Democratic | D+6.4 |
| Blue Earth County, MN | Democratic | D+13.0 |
| Brown County, MN | Republican | R+12.1 |
| Carlton County, MN | Democratic | D+26.8 |
| Carver County, MN | Republican | R+15.1 |
| Cass County, MN | Republican | R+8.5 |
| Chippewa County, MN | Democratic | D+5.9 |
| Chisago County, MN | Republican | R+10.3 |
| Clay County, MN | Democratic | D+16.0 |
| Clearwater County, MN | Republican | R+9.7 |
| Cook County, MN | Democratic | D+23.3 |
| Cottonwood County, MN | Republican | R+6.6 |
| Crow Wing County, MN | Republican | R+7.7 |
| Dakota County, MN | Democratic | D+5.5 |
| Dodge County, MN | Republican | R+9.8 |
| Douglas County, MN | Republican | R+9.5 |
| Faribault County, MN | Republican | R+5.6 |
| Fillmore County, MN | Democratic | D+8.3 |
| Freeborn County, MN | Democratic | D+17.1 |
| Goodhue County, MN | Republican | R+1.4 |
| Grant County, MN | Democratic | D+5.7 |
| Hennepin County, MN | Democratic | D+28.6 |
| Houston County, MN | Democratic | D+10.7 |
| Hubbard County, MN | Republican | R+14.5 |
| Isanti County, MN | Republican | R+15.3 |
| Itasca County, MN | Democratic | D+12.9 |
| Jackson County, MN | Republican | R+4.3 |
| Kanabec County, MN | Republican | R+8.7 |
| Kandiyohi County, MN | Republican | R+5.5 |
| Kittson County, MN | Democratic | D+18.5 |
| Koochiching County, MN | Democratic | D+10.1 |
| Lac qui Parle County, MN | Democratic | D+5.9 |
| Lake County, MN | Democratic | D+22.1 |
| Lake of the Woods County, MN | Republican | R+13.3 |
| Le Sueur County, MN | Republican | R+4.3 |
| Lincoln County, MN | Democratic | D+0.8 |
| Lyon County, MN | Republican | R+1.6 |
| Mahnomen County, MN | Democratic | D+25.3 |
| Marshall County, MN | Democratic | D+0.5 |
| Martin County, MN | Republican | R+15.3 |
| McLeod County, MN | Republican | R+18.3 |
| Meeker County, MN | Republican | R+10.8 |
| Mille Lacs County, MN | Republican | R+7.2 |
| Morrison County, MN | Republican | R+19.0 |
| Mower County, MN | Democratic | D+23.6 |
| Murray County, MN | Democratic | D+0.5 |
| Nicollet County, MN | Democratic | D+10.5 |
| Nobles County, MN | Republican | R+1.4 |
| Norman County, MN | Democratic | D+26.9 |
| Olmsted County, MN | Democratic | D+3.3 |
| Otter Tail County, MN | Republican | R+12.9 |
| Pennington County, MN | Democratic | D+2.1 |
| Pine County, MN | Democratic | D+1.5 |
| Pipestone County, MN | Republican | R+13.1 |
| Polk County, MN | Democratic | D+4.6 |
| Pope County, MN | Democratic | D+3.8 |
| Ramsey County, MN | Democratic | D+33.9 |
| Red Lake County, MN | Democratic | D+6.3 |
| Redwood County, MN | Republican | R+13.6 |
| Renville County, MN | Republican | R+0.6 |
| Rice County, MN | Democratic | D+11.5 |
| Rock County, MN | Republican | R+14.0 |
| Roseau County, MN | Republican | R+17.4 |
| Scott County, MN | Republican | R+11.2 |
| Sherburne County, MN | Republican | R+18.2 |
| Sibley County, MN | Republican | R+19.3 |
| St. Louis County, MN | Democratic | D+32.5 |
| Stearns County, MN | Republican | R+7.0 |
| Steele County, MN | Republican | R+5.4 |
| Stevens County, MN | Democratic | D+1.3 |
| Swift County, MN | Democratic | D+13.8 |
| Todd County, MN | Republican | R+11.1 |
| Traverse County, MN | Democratic | D+5.4 |
| Wabasha County, MN | Republican | R+2.4 |
| Wadena County, MN | Republican | R+17.4 |
| Waseca County, MN | Republican | R+8.2 |
| Washington County, MN | Democratic | D+4.3 |
| Watonwan County, MN | Democratic | D+0.7 |
| Wilkin County, MN | Republican | R+6.9 |
| Winona County, MN | Democratic | D+19.1 |
| Wright County, MN | Republican | R+17.4 |
| Yellow Medicine County, MN | Democratic | D+4.3 |
Minnesota results by county
87 counties. Third-party and independent votes are reported by the county source as one combined figure; every named candidate is listed in the complete result below.
| Led by | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitkin County | Barack Obama+6 | 4,59548.8% | 4,58948.8% | 2262.4% | 9,410 |
| Anoka County | John McCain+4,381 | 86,97647.7% | 91,35750.1% | 3,8912.1% | 182,224 |
| Becker County | John McCain+1,164 | 7,68745.3% | 8,85152.2% | 4272.5% | 16,965 |
| Beltrami County | Barack Obama+2,257 | 12,01954.1% | 9,76243.9% | 4552.0% | 22,236 |
| Benton County | John McCain+1,884 | 8,45443.7% | 10,33853.5% | 5472.8% | 19,339 |
| Big Stone County | Barack Obama+190 | 1,55251.9% | 1,36245.6% | 762.5% | 2,990 |
| Blue Earth County | Barack Obama+4,543 | 19,32555.1% | 14,78242.1% | 9632.7% | 35,070 |
| Brown County | John McCain+1,647 | 5,80942.7% | 7,45654.7% | 3552.6% | 13,620 |
| Carlton County | Barack Obama+4,952 | 11,50162.3% | 6,54935.5% | 3992.2% | 18,449 |
| Carver County | John McCain+7,502 | 20,65441.6% | 28,15656.7% | 8731.8% | 49,683 |
| Cass County | John McCain+1,384 | 7,27644.6% | 8,66053.1% | 3712.3% | 16,307 |
| Chippewa County | Barack Obama+373 | 3,28051.6% | 2,90745.7% | 1692.7% | 6,356 |
| Chisago County | John McCain+3,006 | 12,78343.6% | 15,78953.9% | 7332.5% | 29,305 |
| Clay County | Barack Obama+4,688 | 16,66657.0% | 11,97840.9% | 6152.1% | 29,259 |
| Clearwater County | John McCain+414 | 1,87744.1% | 2,29153.8% | 932.2% | 4,261 |
| Cook County | Barack Obama+779 | 2,01960.3% | 1,24037.0% | 892.7% | 3,348 |
| Cottonwood County | John McCain+398 | 2,75945.7% | 3,15752.3% | 1202.0% | 6,036 |
| Crow Wing County | John McCain+2,708 | 15,85945.1% | 18,56752.8% | 7392.1% | 35,165 |
| Dakota County | Barack Obama+12,414 | 116,77851.8% | 104,36446.3% | 4,3301.9% | 225,472 |
| Dodge County | John McCain+1,005 | 4,46343.7% | 5,46853.5% | 2832.8% | 10,214 |
| Douglas County | John McCain+1,985 | 9,25644.2% | 11,24153.7% | 4212.0% | 20,918 |
| Faribault County | John McCain+460 | 3,73645.8% | 4,19651.5% | 2202.7% | 8,152 |
| Fillmore County | Barack Obama+928 | 5,92152.7% | 4,99344.4% | 3202.8% | 11,234 |
| Freeborn County | Barack Obama+2,960 | 9,91557.4% | 6,95540.2% | 4102.4% | 17,280 |
| Goodhue County | John McCain+355 | 12,42048.1% | 12,77549.5% | 6002.3% | 25,795 |
| Grant County | Barack Obama+204 | 1,85051.3% | 1,64645.7% | 1093.0% | 3,605 |
| Hennepin County | Barack Obama+189,904 | 420,95863.4% | 231,05434.8% | 11,7681.8% | 663,780 |
| Houston County | Barack Obama+1,163 | 5,90654.3% | 4,74343.6% | 2342.2% | 10,883 |
| Hubbard County | John McCain+1,686 | 4,87241.9% | 6,55856.3% | 2081.8% | 11,638 |
| Isanti County | John McCain+3,076 | 8,24841.1% | 11,32456.5% | 4812.4% | 20,053 |
| Itasca County | Barack Obama+3,151 | 13,46055.2% | 10,30942.3% | 6262.6% | 24,395 |
| Jackson County | John McCain+240 | 2,61846.6% | 2,85850.8% | 1472.6% | 5,623 |
| Kanabec County | John McCain+736 | 3,74344.0% | 4,47952.7% | 2773.3% | 8,499 |
| Kandiyohi County | John McCain+1,194 | 10,12546.2% | 11,31951.7% | 4512.1% | 21,895 |
| Kittson County | Barack Obama+476 | 1,49258.1% | 1,01639.6% | 602.3% | 2,568 |
| Koochiching County | Barack Obama+687 | 3,64953.6% | 2,96243.5% | 1912.8% | 6,802 |
| Lac qui Parle County | Barack Obama+248 | 2,16051.5% | 1,91245.6% | 1202.9% | 4,192 |
| Lake County | Barack Obama+1,538 | 4,17459.9% | 2,63637.8% | 1592.3% | 6,969 |
| Lake of the Woods County | John McCain+307 | 97142.0% | 1,27855.3% | 642.8% | 2,313 |
| Le Sueur County | John McCain+642 | 6,99446.6% | 7,63650.9% | 3792.5% | 15,009 |
| Lincoln County | Barack Obama+26 | 1,51748.5% | 1,49147.7% | 1183.8% | 3,126 |
| Lyon County | John McCain+205 | 6,11048.1% | 6,31549.7% | 2832.2% | 12,708 |
| Mahnomen County | Barack Obama+593 | 1,43661.3% | 84336.0% | 642.7% | 2,343 |
| Marshall County | Barack Obama+26 | 2,31148.8% | 2,28548.2% | 1433.0% | 4,739 |
| Martin County | John McCain+1,640 | 4,41341.0% | 6,05356.3% | 2882.7% | 10,754 |
| McLeod County | John McCain+3,488 | 7,50539.4% | 10,99357.8% | 5312.8% | 19,029 |
| Meeker County | John McCain+1,357 | 5,38042.9% | 6,73753.7% | 4283.4% | 12,545 |
| Mille Lacs County | John McCain+977 | 6,07244.8% | 7,04952.0% | 4233.1% | 13,544 |
| Morrison County | John McCain+3,188 | 6,54739.1% | 9,73558.1% | 4612.8% | 16,743 |
| Mower County | Barack Obama+4,530 | 11,60560.5% | 7,07536.9% | 5072.6% | 19,187 |
| Murray County | Barack Obama+25 | 2,34548.7% | 2,32048.2% | 1483.1% | 4,813 |
| Nicollet County | Barack Obama+1,919 | 9,88754.2% | 7,96843.7% | 3902.1% | 18,245 |
| Nobles County | John McCain+124 | 4,24448.2% | 4,36849.6% | 2012.3% | 8,813 |
| Norman County | Barack Obama+925 | 2,12962.0% | 1,20435.1% | 1012.9% | 3,434 |
| Olmsted County | Barack Obama+2,509 | 38,71150.6% | 36,20247.3% | 1,5572.0% | 76,470 |
| Otter Tail County | John McCain+4,221 | 13,85642.4% | 18,07755.3% | 7542.3% | 32,687 |
| Pennington County | Barack Obama+146 | 3,39449.8% | 3,24847.6% | 1802.6% | 6,822 |
| Pine County | Barack Obama+222 | 7,08449.3% | 6,86247.7% | 4373.0% | 14,383 |
| Pipestone County | John McCain+629 | 2,02342.1% | 2,65255.2% | 1262.6% | 4,801 |
| Polk County | Barack Obama+702 | 7,85051.2% | 7,14846.6% | 3362.2% | 15,334 |
| Pope County | Barack Obama+248 | 3,31750.7% | 3,06947.0% | 1502.3% | 6,536 |
| Ramsey County | Barack Obama+94,032 | 182,97466.0% | 88,94232.1% | 5,4702.0% | 277,386 |
| Red Lake County | Barack Obama+137 | 1,12051.1% | 98344.9% | 884.0% | 2,191 |
| Redwood County | John McCain+1,058 | 3,25041.6% | 4,30855.2% | 2483.2% | 7,806 |
| Renville County | John McCain+52 | 3,90448.0% | 3,95648.6% | 2753.4% | 8,135 |
| Rice County | Barack Obama+3,658 | 17,38154.7% | 13,72343.2% | 6952.2% | 31,799 |
| Rock County | John McCain+696 | 2,07941.8% | 2,77555.8% | 1212.4% | 4,975 |
| Roseau County | John McCain+1,341 | 3,09740.2% | 4,43857.6% | 1652.1% | 7,700 |
| Scott County | John McCain+7,516 | 29,20843.5% | 36,72454.7% | 1,2001.8% | 67,132 |
| Sherburne County | John McCain+8,183 | 17,95739.9% | 26,14058.1% | 8932.0% | 44,990 |
| Sibley County | John McCain+1,494 | 2,99838.8% | 4,49258.1% | 2393.1% | 7,729 |
| St. Louis County | Barack Obama+38,609 | 77,35165.1% | 38,74232.6% | 2,7212.3% | 118,814 |
| Stearns County | John McCain+5,504 | 35,69045.3% | 41,19452.3% | 1,8722.4% | 78,756 |
| Steele County | John McCain+1,052 | 9,01645.9% | 10,06851.2% | 5722.9% | 19,656 |
| Stevens County | Barack Obama+71 | 2,78149.4% | 2,71048.1% | 1432.5% | 5,634 |
| Swift County | Barack Obama+723 | 2,90755.4% | 2,18441.6% | 1532.9% | 5,244 |
| Todd County | John McCain+1,360 | 5,27743.1% | 6,63754.1% | 3432.8% | 12,257 |
| Traverse County | Barack Obama+110 | 1,04351.3% | 93345.8% | 592.9% | 2,035 |
| Wabasha County | John McCain+289 | 5,64647.5% | 5,93549.9% | 3122.6% | 11,893 |
| Wadena County | John McCain+1,246 | 2,88240.2% | 4,12857.6% | 1592.2% | 7,169 |
| Waseca County | John McCain+810 | 4,40144.5% | 5,21152.7% | 2762.8% | 9,888 |
| Washington County | Barack Obama+5,943 | 70,27751.3% | 64,33446.9% | 2,4481.8% | 137,059 |
| Watonwan County | Barack Obama+36 | 2,56248.7% | 2,52648.0% | 1703.2% | 5,258 |
| Wilkin County | John McCain+236 | 1,55045.4% | 1,78652.3% | 782.3% | 3,414 |
| Winona County | Barack Obama+5,333 | 16,30858.4% | 10,97539.3% | 6522.3% | 27,935 |
| Wright County | John McCain+11,436 | 26,34340.2% | 37,77957.6% | 1,4562.2% | 65,578 |
| Yellow Medicine County | Barack Obama+237 | 2,81650.6% | 2,57946.3% | 1743.1% | 5,569 |
Nominees: Barack Obama (D) · John McCain (R)
Minnesota's presidential margins
1892–2024, the 2008 contest in context
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | −8.3% |
| 1896 | −15.7% |
| 1900 | −24.5% |
| 1904 | −55.1% |
| 1908 | −26.2% |
| 1912 | +12.6% |
| 1916 | −0.1% |
| 1920 | −51.2% |
| 1924 | −44.4% |
| 1928 | −16.9% |
| 1932 | +23.6% |
| 1936 | +30.8% |
| 1940 | +3.8% |
| 1944 | +5.5% |
| 1948 | +17.3% |
| 1952 | −11.2% |
| 1956 | −7.6% |
| 1960 | +1.4% |
| 1964 | +27.8% |
| 1968 | +12.5% |
| 1972 | −5.5% |
| 1976 | +12.9% |
| 1980 | +3.9% |
| 1984 | +0.2% |
| 1988 | +7.0% |
| 1992 | +11.6% |
| 1996 | +16.1% |
| 2000 | +2.4% |
| 2004 | +3.5% |
| 2008 | +10.2% |
| 2012 | +7.7% |
| 2016 | +1.5% |
| 2020 | +7.1% |
| 2024 | +4.2% |
Same ballot, 2008MN
Source. MIT Election Data + Science Lab — 2008 presidential returns · official county-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.