United States presidential elections in Hawaii facts for kids
Did you know that when people vote for the President of the United States, each state has its own history of how it usually votes? This page is all about how Hawaii has voted in presidential elections since it became a state in 1959.
Hawaii is often called a "blue" state. This means that most of the time, people in Hawaii vote for the Democratic Party. In fact, out of 15 presidential elections, Hawaii has voted for the Democratic candidate 13 times!
How Hawaii Votes for President
Since 1959, Hawaii has participated in every United States presidential election. Each election is a chance for citizens to choose who they want to lead the country. The table below shows you how Hawaii voted in each of these elections. It includes who won nationally, who won in Hawaii, and how many votes each main candidate received.
| Year | Winner (nationally) | Votes | % | Loser (nationally) | Votes | % | Electoral votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | John F. Kennedy (D) | 92,410 | 50.03% | Richard Nixon (R) | 92,295 | 49.97% | 3 |
| 1964 | Lyndon B. Johnson (D) | 163,249 | 78.8% | Barry Goldwater (R) | 44,022 | 21.2% | 4 |
| 1968 | Richard Nixon (R) | 91,425 | 38.7% | Hubert Humphrey (D) | 141,324 | 59.8% | 4 |
| 1972 | Richard Nixon (R) | 168,865 | 62.5% | George McGovern (D) | 101,409 | 37.5% | 4 |
| 1976 | Jimmy Carter (D) | 147,375 | 50.59% | Gerald Ford (R) | 140,003 | 48.06% | 4 |
| 1980 | Ronald Reagan (R) | 130,112 | 42.9% | Jimmy Carter (D) | 135,879 | 44.8% | 4 |
| 1984 | Ronald Reagan (R) | 185,050 | 55.10% | Walter Mondale (D) | 147,154 | 43.82% | 4 |
| 1988 | George H. W. Bush (R) | 158,625 | 44.8% | Michael Dukakis (D) | 192,364 | 54.3% | 4 |
| 1992 | Bill Clinton (D) | 179,310 | 48.1% | George H.W. Bush (R) | 136,822 | 36.7% | 4 |
| 1996 | Bill Clinton (D) | 205,012 | 57.0% | Bob Dole (R) | 113,943 | 31.7% | 4 |
| 2000 | George W. Bush (R) | 137,845 | 37.46% | Al Gore (D) | 205,286 | 55.79% | 4 |
| 2004 | George W. Bush (R) | 194,191 | 45.26% | John Kerry (D) | 231,708 | 54.01% | 4 |
| 2008 | Barack Obama (D) | 325,871 | 71.85% | John McCain (R) | 120,566 | 26.58% | 4 |
| 2012 | Barack Obama (D) | 306,658 | 70.55% | Mitt Romney (R) | 121,015 | 27.84% | 4 |
| 2016 | Donald Trump (R) | 128,847 | 30.03% | Hillary Clinton (D) | 266,891 | 62.22% | 4 |
- Candidates in bold won the state of Hawaii in that election.
Comparing the Parties' Votes
This next table helps us see how the Democratic and Republican parties have done in Hawaii over the years. It shows the percentage of votes each party received and the difference, or "margin," between them. A bigger margin means one party won by a lot more votes.
| Year | Democrat % | Votes | Republican % | Votes | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 50.03% | 92,410 | 49.97% | 92,295 | 0.06 |
| 1964 | 78.8% | 163,249 | 21.2% | 44,022 | 57.6 |
| 1968 | 59.8% | 141,324 | 38.7% | 91,425 | 21.1 |
| 1972 | 37.5% | 101,409 | 62.5% | 168,865 | 25.0 |
| 1976 | 50.59% | 147,375 | 48.06% | 140,003 | 2.53 |
| 1980 | 44.8% | 135,879 | 42.9% | 130,112 | 1.9 |
| 1984 | 43.82% | 147,154 | 55.10% | 185,050 | 11.28 |
| 1988 | 54.3% | 192,364 | 44.8% | 158,625 | 9.5 |
| 1992 | 48.1% | 179,310 | 36.7% | 136,822 | 11.4 |
| 1996 | 57.0% | 205,012 | 31.7% | 113,943 | 25.3 |
| 2000 | 55.79% | 205,286 | 37.46% | 137,845 | 18.33 |
| 2004 | 54.01% | 231,708 | 45.26% | 194,191 | 8.75 |
| 2008 | 71.85% | 325,871 | 26.58% | 120,566 | 45.27 |
| 2012 | 70.55% | 306,658 | 27.84% | 121,015 | 42.71 |
| 2016 | 62.22% | 266,891 | 30.03% | 128,847 | 32.19 |
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