2004 United States presidential election in Ohio

none June 2025 September 2023 2004 United States presidential election in Ohio Ohio presidential no 2000 United States presidential election in Ohio 2000 2008 United States presidential election in Ohio 2008 November 2, 2004 71.77%https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/election-results-and-data/historical-election-comparisons/voter-turnout-in-general-elections/ Voter Turnout in General Elections Ohio Secretary of State x200px George-W-Bush (cropped).jpeg George W. Bush Republican Party (United States) Texas Dick Cheney 20 2,859,768 50.81% John F. Kerry (wide crop).jpg John Kerry Democratic Party (United States) Massachusetts John Edwards 0 2,741,167 48.71% 250px County results 250px Congressional district results Bush #e27f90 50–60% #cc2f4a 60–70% #d40000 70–80% Kerry #86b6f2 50–60% #4389e3 60–70% #0645B4 80–90% President George W. Bush Republican Party (United States) George W. Bush Republican Party (United States) 2004 United States presidential election The 2004 United States presidential election in Ohio took place on November 2, 2004, and was part of the 2004 United States presidential election. Voters chose 20 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Ohio was won by incumbent President George W. Bush by a 2.11% margin of victory. Prior to the election, most news organizations considered Ohio as a swing state. The state's economic situation gave hope for John Kerry. In the end, the state became the deciding factor of the entire election. Kerry conceded the state, and the entire election, the morning following election night, as Bush won the state and its 20 electoral votes. The close contest was the subject of the 2006 documentary film ...So Goes the Nation, the title of which is a reference to Ohio's 2004 status as a crucial swing state. Had Kerry won the state, he would have won the presidency with 272 electoral votes despite losing the popular vote, and would have been the first Democrat to achieve this feat; this also meant that if Bush lost the state, he would have lost re-election with 266 electoral votes, and been a one-term president despite winning the popular vote, which would have made him the first Republican to achieve this feat. As of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, this is the last time Ohio voted more Democratic than the nation as a whole, as well as the last time where Hamilton County, the home of Cincinnati, voted for a Republican presidential candidate. Bush became the first Republican to win the White House without carrying Stark County since Benjamin Harrison in 1888. Primaries 2004 Ohio Democratic presidential primary Campaign Predictions There were 12 news organizations that made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day.Article title +SourceRankingD.C. Political ReportLean RAssociated PressTossupCNNLean D FlipCook Political ReportTossupNewsweekTossupNew York TimesTossupRasmussen ReportsTossupResearch 2000TossupWashington PostTossupWashington TimesTossupZogby InternationalTossupWashington DispatchLean D Flip Polling Pre-election polling showed a lot of volatility throughout the general election. In September, Bush was gaining momentum here, reaching over 50% in several polls and even reaching double digit margins in some. By October, Kerry gained back momentum as he started winning many of the polls, leading with from 48% to as high as 50%. The last 3 polls averaged Kerry leading 49% to 48%.2004 Presidential Election Polls. Ohio polls US Election Atlas Fundraising Bush raised $7,349,944,http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/campaigns/george_w_bush.asp?cycle=04 George W Bush - $374,659,453 raised, '04 election cycle, Republican Party, President www.campaignmoney.com 16 April 2018 while Kerry raised $3,428,504.http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/campaigns/john_f_kerry.asp?cycle=04 John F Kerry - $345,826,176 raised, '04 election cycle, Democratic Party, President www.campaignmoney.com 16 April 2018 Advertising and visits Both candidates campaigned heavily. Bush visited the state 18 times to Kerry's 23 times.http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/showdown/OH/ CNN.com Specials www.cnn.com 16 April 2018 Almost every week, over $10 million was spent on television advertising.http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/campaign.ads/ CNN.com Specials www.cnn.com 16 April 2018 Analysis CNN's exit polling showed that Bush barely won the state. He won with 52% among male voters, while it was tied 50–50 among female voters. 53% of the voters approved of Bush's job as president.http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/OH/P/00/epolls.0.html CNN.com Election 2004 www.cnn.com 16 April 2018 Bush dominated in the rural areas, while Kerry dominated and won most of the counties with large populations. Overall, Bush won most of the counties and congressional districts in the state. All the congressional districts Kerry won were in the northern section of the state.http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections David Leip uselectionatlas.org 16 April 2018 Results 2004 United States presidential election in OhioPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Republican George W. Bush (incumbent) 2,859,768 50.81% 20 Democratic John Kerry 2,741,167 48.71% 0 Independent Michael Badnarik 14,676 0.26% 0 Independent Michael Peroutka 11,939 0.21% 0 Others Others 358 0.01% 0 Totals 5,627,908 100.00% 20 Voter turnout (Voting age population) 65.3% By county CountyGeorge W. BushRepublicanJohn KerryDemocraticVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Adams7,65363.78%4,28135.67%660.55%3,37228.11%12,000Allen32,58066.14%16,47033.44%2060.42%16,11032.70%49,256Ashland16,20964.89%8,57634.33%1940.78%7,63330.56%24,979Ashtabula21,03846.33%24,06052.99%3090.68%-3,022-6.66%45,407Athens10,84736.10%18,99863.23%2000.67%-8,151-27.13%30,045Auglaize17,01673.87%5,90325.63%1150.50%11,11348.24%23,034Belmont15,58946.78%17,57652.75%1570.47%-1,987-5.97%33,322Brown12,64763.58%7,14035.89%1050.53%5,50727.69%19,892Butler109,87265.86%56,24333.72%7040.42%53,62932.14%166,819Carroll7,69554.53%6,30044.64%1170.83%1,3959.89%14,112Champaign11,71862.41%6,96837.11%900.48%4,75025.30%18,776Clark34,94150.78%33,53548.74%3310.48%1,4062.04%68,807Clermont62,94970.67%25,88729.06%2430.27%37,06241.61%89,079Clinton12,93870.26%5,41729.42%590.32%7,52140.84%18,414Columbiana25,75352.06%23,42947.37%2830.57%2,3244.69%49,465Coshocton9,83956.86%7,37842.64%860.50%2,46114.22%17,303Crawford13,88563.69%7,77335.65%1430.66%6,11228.04%21,801Cuyahoga221,60032.89%448,50366.57%3,6740.54%-226,903-33.68%673,777Darke18,30669.57%7,84629.82%1610.61%10,46039.75%26,313Defiance11,39761.55%6,97537.67%1440.78%4,42223.88%18,516Delaware53,14366.05%27,04833.62%2650.33%26,09532.43%80,456Erie18,59746.39%21,42153.44%670.17%-2,824-7.05%40,085Fairfield42,71562.92%24,78336.51%3840.57%17,93226.41%67,882Fayette7,37662.74%4,33436.86%470.40%3,04225.88%11,757Franklin237,25345.12%285,80154.35%2,7730.53%-48,548-9.23%525,827Fulton13,64062.13%8,22437.46%900.41%5,41624.67%21,954Gallia8,57661.29%5,36638.35%510.36%3,21022.94%13,993Geauga30,37060.21%19,85039.35%2220.44%10,52020.86%50,442Greene48,38861.03%30,53138.51%3630.46%17,84722.52%79,282Guernsey9,96255.84%7,76843.54%1100.62%2,19412.30%17,840Hamilton222,61652.50%199,67947.09%1,7300.41%22,9375.41%424,025Hancock25,10570.48%10,35229.06%1620.45%14,75341.42%35,619Hardin8,44163.03%4,89136.52%600.45%3,55026.51%13,392Harrison4,27452.71%3,78046.61%550.68%4946.10%8,109Henry9,90265.55%5,11133.84%920.61%4,79131.71%15,105Highland12,21166.07%6,19433.52%760.41%6,01732.55%18,481Hocking6,93652.55%6,17546.78%880.67%7615.77%13,199Holmes8,46875.47%2,69724.02%550.51%5,77151.45%11,220Huron14,81757.97%10,56841.35%1730.68%4,24916.62%25,558Jackson8,58559.89%5,70039.77%490.34%2,88520.12%14,334Jefferson17,18547.25%19,02452.30%1630.45%-1,839-5.05%36,372Knox17,06863.11%9,82036.31%1570.58%7,24826.80%27,045Lake62,19351.05%59,04948.47%5810.48%3,1442.58%121,823Lawrence15,45555.77%12,12043.74%1350.49%3,33512.03%27,710Licking49,01661.72%30,05337.84%3510.44%18,96323.88%79,420Logan14,47167.63%6,82531.90%1020.48%7,64635.73%21,398Lorain61,20343.49%78,97056.11%5690.40%-17,767-12.62%140,742Lucas87,16039.54%132,71560.21%5550.25%-45,555-20.67%220,430Madison11,11763.90%6,20335.65%780.45%4,91428.25%17,398Mahoning48,76136.69%83,19462.60%9490.71%-34,433-25.91%132,904Marion17,17158.69%11,93040.78%1570.54%5,24117.91%29,258Medina48,19656.78%36,27242.73%4100.49%11,92414.05%84,878Meigs6,27258.23%4,43841.20%610.57%1,83417.03%10,771Mercer15,65074.92%5,11824.50%1220.58%10,53250.42%20,890Miami33,99265.67%17,60634.01%1620.32%16,38631.66%51,760Monroe3,42444.30%4,24354.90%620.80%-819-10.60%7,729Montgomery138,37148.97%142,99750.60%1,2160.43%-4,626-1.63%282,584Morgan3,75856.06%2,87542.89%701.04%88313.17%6,703Morrow10,47464.15%5,77535.37%790.48%4,69928.78%16,328Muskingum22,25457.26%16,42142.25%1910.49%5,83315.01%38,866Noble3,84158.73%2,65440.58%450.69%1,18718.15%6,540Ottawa12,07351.91%11,11847.80%680.29%9554.11%23,259Paulding6,20662.82%3,61036.54%630.64%2,59626.28%9,879Perry7,85651.72%7,25747.78%760.50%5993.94%15,189Pickaway14,16161.97%8,57937.54%1120.49%5,58224.43%22,852Pike6,52051.84%5,98947.63%670.53%5314.21%12,576Portage35,58346.42%40,67553.07%3890.51%-5,092-6.65%76,647Preble13,73465.01%7,27434.43%1190.56%6,46030.58%21,127Putnam14,37076.24%4,39223.30%870.46%9,97852.94%18,849Richland36,87259.62%24,63839.84%3300.53%12,23419.78%61,840Ross17,23154.41%13,97844.14%4621.46%3,25310.27%31,671Sandusky16,22455.92%12,68643.72%1040.36%3,53812.20%29,014Scioto18,25951.87%16,82747.80%1170.33%1,4324.07%35,203Seneca15,88658.86%10,95740.60%1480.55%4,92918.26%26,991Shelby16,20470.90%6,53528.59%1160.51%9,66942.31%22,855Stark92,21548.93%95,33750.59%9070.48%-3,122-1.66%188,459Summit118,55842.91%156,58756.67%1,1750.42%-38,029-13.76%276,320Trumbull40,97737.89%66,67361.65%4950.46%-25,696-23.76%108,145Tuscarawas23,82955.54%18,85343.94%2240.52%4,97611.60%42,906Union15,87070.13%6,66529.45%960.42%9,20540.68%22,631Van Wert10,67872.02%4,09527.62%540.36%6,58344.40%14,827Vinton3,24954.82%2,65144.70%280.47%59810.12%5,928Warren68,03772.06%26,04427.58%3410.36%41,99344.48%94,422Washington17,53258.02%12,53841.49%1460.48%4,99416.53%30,216Wayne31,87961.49%19,78638.16%1830.35%12,09323.33%51,848Williams12,04064.60%6,48134.77%1180.63%5,55929.83%18,639Wood33,59253.03%29,40146.41%3530.56%4,1916.62%63,346Wyandot7,25465.69%3,70833.58%810.73%3,54632.11%11,043Totals2,859,76850.81%2,741,16748.71%26,9730.48%118,6012.10%5,627,908 right 250px Swing by county Legend #00bdec Democratic — +12.5-15% #4bdbff Democratic — +7.5-10% #77e3ff Democratic — +5-7.5% #aaeeff Democratic — +2.5-5% #d5f6ff Democratic — +0-2.5% #ffd5d5 Republican — +0-2.5% #ffaaaa Republican — +2.5-5% #ff8080 Republican — +5-7.5% #ff5555 Republican — +7.5-10% #ff2a2a Republican — +10-12.5% 250px Trend by county Legend #09ceff Democratic — +10-12.5% #77e3ff Democratic — +5-7.5% #aaeeff Democratic — +2.5-5% #d5f6ff Democratic — +0-2.5% #ffd5d5 Republican — +0-2.5% #ffaaaa Republican — +2.5-5% #ff8080 Republican — +5-7.5% #ff5555 Republican — +7.5-10% #ff2a2a Republican — +10-12.5% #ff0000 Republican — +12.5-15% 250px County flips Legend Democratic #92c5de Hold #0671b0 Flip Republican #f48882 Hold #ca0120 Flip Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Clark (largest municipality: Springfield) Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Stark (largest municipality: Canton) By congressional district Bush won 13 of 18 congressional districts, including one held by a Democrat.Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - County Data https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/data.php?year=2004&fips=39&f=0&off=0&elect=0&datatype=cd&def=1 2025-09-10 uselectionatlas.org District Bush Kerry RepresentativeOhio 1 1st 50% 49%Steve Chabot Ohio 2 2nd64%36%Rob PortmanJean SchmidtOhio 3 3rd 54% 45%Mike TurnerOhio 4 4th 65% 34%Mike OxleyOhio 5 5th 61% 39%Paul GillmorOhio 6 6th 50% 49%Ted StricklandOhio 7 7th 57% 42%David Hobson Ohio 8 8th 64% 35%John Boehner Ohio 9 9th 42% 58%Marcy KapturOhio 10 10th 41% 58%Dennis KucinichOhio 11 11th 18% 81%Stephanie Tubbs Jones Ohio 12 12th 51% 48%Pat TiberiOhio 13 13th 44% 55%Sherrod BrownOhio 14 14th 53% 47%Steven LaTouretteOhio 15 15th 50% 49%Deborah Pryce Ohio 16 16th 54% 46%Ralph RegulaOhio 17 17th 37% 63%Tim RyanOhio 18 18th 57% 42%Bob Ney Electors List of 2004 United States presidential electors Technically the voters of Ohio cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Ohio is allocated 20 electors because it has 18 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 20 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 20 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector. The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 13, 2004, to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols. The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 20 were pledged for Bush/Cheney. Spencer R. Raleigh Joyce M. Houck Betty Jo Sherman Gary C. Suhadolnik Randy Law Leslie J. Spaeth David Whipple Johnson Robert S. Frost Alex R. Arshinkoff Phil A. Bowman Jon Allison Katharina Hooper Pernel Jones Henry M. Butch O'Neill William O. Dewitt Karyle Mumper Owen V. Hall Merom Brachman Kirk Schuring Billie Jean Fiore Objection to certification of Ohio's electoral votes 2004 United States election voting controversies On January 6, 2005, Senator Barbara Boxer joined Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio in filing a congressional objection to the certification of Ohio's Electoral College votes due to alleged irregularities including disqualification of provisional ballots, alleged misallocation of voting machines, and disproportionately long waits in predominantly African-American communities.Ted Barrett January 6, 2005 CNN Bush carries Electoral College after delay http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/01/06/electoral.vote/ May 23, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090423074557/http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/01/06/electoral.vote/ April 23, 2009 liveBarbara Boxer Barbara Boxer January 6, 2005 Press Release of Senator Boxer: Statement On Her Objection To The Certification Of Ohio's Electoral Votes http://boxer.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=230450 May 23, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20080607140724/http://boxer.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=230450 June 7, 2008 Ohio's polling locations and equipment are determined by two Democrats and two Republicans serving on the county's Board of Elections, which ensures that any decision made about polling resources is bipartisan.Secure Elections https://www.boe.ohio.gov/preble/c/images/SecureElections_infographic_FINAL_BOEs.pdf County Board of Election graphic The Senate voted the objection down 74–1; the House voted the objection down 267–31. At the time, it was only the second congressional objection to an entire U.S. state's electoral delegation in American history; the first instance was in 1877, when all the electors from three Southern states in the 1876 United States presidential election were challenged, and one from Oregon.HarpWeek Hayes vs. Tilden: The Electoral College Controversy of 1876–1877 Electoral Commission Deliberation http://elections.harpweek.com/09Ver2Controversy/Overview-4.htm May 23, 2009 The third instance was in 2021, when Republicans objected to the certification of the electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania. An objection to a single faithless elector was also filed in 1969. See also Presidency of George W. Bush United States presidential elections in Ohio References Ohio Election Results Spreadsheets Ohio 2004 Presidential