2000 United States presidential election in Michigan explained

Election Name:	2000 United States presidential election in Michigan
Country:	Michigan
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1996 United States presidential election in Michigan
Previous Year:	1996
Next Election:	2004 United States presidential election in Michigan
Next Year:	2004
Turnout:	58.2% ^[1] ^[2]
Election Date:	November 7, 2000
Image1:	Al Gore, Vice President of the United States, official portrait 1994.jpg
Nominee1:	Al Gore
Party1:	Democratic Party (United States)
Home State1:	Tennessee
Running Mate1:	Joe Lieberman
Electoral Vote1:	18
Popular Vote1:	2,170,418
Percentage1:	51.28%
Nominee2:	George W. Bush
Party2:	Republican Party (United States)
Home State2:	Texas
Running Mate2:	Dick Cheney
Electoral Vote2:	0
Popular Vote2:	1,953,139
Percentage2:	46.14%
President
Before Election:	Bill Clinton
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	George W. Bush
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)
Map Size:	375px

The 2000 United States presidential election in Michigan took place on November7, 2000, and was part of the 2000 United States presidential election. Voters chose 18 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Vice President Al Gore won Michigan by a margin of 5.1%. The western part of the state, which is more rural, voted overwhelmingly Republican, and George W. Bush won most of the congressional districts and counties in that region of the state. His best performance was in Ottawa County, where he won with over 70%. Gore did fairly well in the eastern region of the state. His best performance was in Wayne County, the highest-populated county in the state and home of the city of Detroit. He won the county with 69%, with his second-best performance in Genesee County, where he got over 62% of the vote.^[3]

This election marked the first time since 1976 in which Michigan's electoral votes did not go to the winner of the general election, although the state was carried by the candidate who ultimately won the popular vote.

Bush became the first-ever Republican to win the White House without carrying Kalamazoo or Muskegon County, as well as the first to do so without carrying Alpena or Oakland County since Benjamin Harrison in 1888, the first to do so without carrying Ingham County since William McKinley in 1896, and the first Republican since Richard Nixon in 1968 to win the White House without carrying Michigan. Michigan was also the only state in the Midwest besides Illinois where Gore won by a majority of votes.

In the Detroit suburbs, Gore won both Oakland and Macomb Counties. The last time the two counties backed different candidates was in 1968. However, the election marked the last time the more blue-collar Macomb County voted to the left of the more white-collar Oakland County.

Michigan was one of ten states that backed George H. W. Bush, Bush's father, for president in 1988 that did not back Bush in either 2000 or 2004.

Results

2000 United States presidential election in Michigan
Party		Candidate	Running mate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Democratic	Al Gore	Joe Lieberman	2,170,418	51.3%	18
	Republican		Dick Cheney	1,953,139	46.1%	0
	Green	Ralph Nader	Winona LaDuke	84,165	2.0%	0
	Libertarian	Harry Browne	Art Olivier	16,711	0.4%	0
	U.S. Taxpayers	Howard Phillips	Michael Peroutka	3,791	0.1%	0
	Natural Law	John Hagelin	Mary Alice Herbert	2,426	0.1%	0
	Write In	Patrick Buchanan		2,061	0.1%	0
Totals				4,232,711	100.00%	18
Voter turnout (Voting age/Registered)						58%/62%

By congressional district

Gore won 9 of 16 congressional districts. Both candidates won two districts won by the opposite party.^[4]

District	Bush	Gore	Representative
		53%	43%		Bart Stupak
		59%	38%		Peter Hoekstra
		59%	38%		Vern Ehlers
		53%	45%		Dave Camp
		45%	53%		James A. Barcia
		52%	46%		Fred Upton
		51%	46%		Nick Smith
	47%	50%
		45%	52%
		49%	48%		David Bonior
		49%	49%
		43%	54%
		39%	58%
		11%	87%
		12%	87%
		44%	54%		John Dingell

By county

County	Al Gore Democratic		George W. Bush Republican		Various candidates Other parties		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%
	Alcona		2,696		44.96%		3,152		52.56%		149		2.48%		-456		-7.60%		5,997
	Alger		2,071		47.43%		2,142		49.06%		153		3.50%		-71		-1.63%		4,366
	Allegan		15,495		34.52%		28,197		62.81%		1,199		2.67%		-12,702		-28.29%		44,891
	Alpena		7,053		49.91%		6,769		47.90%		310		2.19%		284		2.01%		14,132
	Antrim		4,329		37.62%		6,780		58.92%		398		3.46%		-2,451		-21.30%		11,507
	Arenac		3,685		50.71%		3,421		47.08%		161		2.22%		264		3.63%		7,267
	Baraga		1,400		41.26%		1,836		54.11%		157		4.63%		-436		-12.85%		3,393
	Barry		9,769		37.22%		15,716		59.88%		759		2.89%		-5,947		-22.66%		26,244
	Bay		28,251		54.71%		22,150		42.90%		1,235		2.39%		6,101		11.81%		51,636
	Benzie		3,546		43.93%		4,172		51.68%		354		4.39%		-626		-7.75%		8,072
	Berrien		28,152		43.15%		35,689		54.70%		1,400		2.15%		-7,537		-11.55%		65,241
	Branch		6,691		42.39%		8,743		55.40%		349		2.21%		-2,052		-13.01%		15,783
	Calhoun		27,312		49.59%		26,291		47.73%		1,477		2.68%		1,021		1.86%		55,080
	Cass		8,808		44.43%		10,545		53.19%		472		2.38%		-1,737		-8.76%		19,825
	Charlevoix		4,958		39.71%		7,018		56.20%		511		4.09%		-2,060		-16.49%		12,487
	Cheboygan		5,484		43.47%		6,815		54.01%		318		2.52%		-1,331		-10.54%		12,617
	Chippewa		6,370		44.38%		7,526		52.43%		458		3.19%		-1,156		-8.05%		14,354
	Clare		6,287		49.87%		5,937		47.09%		383		3.04%		350		2.78%		12,607
	Clinton		13,394		41.60%		18,054		56.07%		751		2.33%		-4,660		-14.47%		32,199
	Crawford		2,790		43.84%		3,345		52.56%		229		3.60%		-555		-8.72%		6,364
	Delta		7,970		46.03%		8,871		51.23%		475		2.74%		-901		-5.20%		17,316
	Dickinson		5,533		43.12%		6,932		54.02%		367		2.86%		-1,399		-10.90%		12,832
	Eaton		23,211		47.11%		24,803		50.34%		1,258		2.55%		-1,592		-3.23%		49,272
	Emmet		5,451		37.05%		8,602		58.47%		658		4.47%		-3,151		-21.42%		14,711
	Genesee		119,833		62.78%		66,641		34.92%		4,391		2.30%		53,192		27.86%		190,865
	Gladwin		5,573		47.92%		5,743		49.39%		313		2.69%		-170		-1.47%		11,629
	Gogebic		4,066		48.76%		3,929		47.12%		344		4.13%		137		1.64%		8,339
	Grand Traverse		14,371		37.59%		22,358		58.48%		1,500		3.92%		-7,987		-20.89%		38,229
	Gratiot		6,538		43.07%		8,312		54.76%		329		2.17%		-1,774		-11.69%		15,179
	Hillsdale		6,495		37.17%		10,483		60.00%		495		2.83%		-3,988		-22.83%		17,473
	Houghton		5,688		40.01%		7,895		55.54%		633		4.45%		-2,207		-15.53%		14,216
	Huron		6,899		42.86%		8,911		55.37%		285		1.77%		-2,012		-12.51%		16,095
	Ingham		69,231		57.41%		47,314		39.23%		4,050		3.36%		21,917		18.18%		120,595
	Ionia		9,481		39.55%		13,915		58.05%		574		2.39%		-4,434		-18.50%		23,970
	Iosco		6,505		49.20%		6,345		47.99%		372		2.81%		160		1.21%		13,222
	Iron		3,014		48.71%		2,967		47.95%		207		3.35%		47		0.76%		6,188
	Isabella		10,228		48.55%		10,053		47.71%		788		3.74%		175		0.84%		21,069
	Jackson		28,160		45.46%		32,066		51.76%		1,720		2.78%		-3,906		-6.30%		61,946
	Kalamazoo		48,807		48.49%		48,254		47.94%		3,595		3.57%		553		0.55%		100,656
	Kalkaska		2,774		40.50%		3,842		56.10%		233		3.40%		-1,068		-15.60%		6,849
	Kent		95,442		38.13%		148,602		59.37%		6,274		2.51%		-53,160		-21.24%		250,318
	Keweenaw		540		40.21%		740		55.10%		63		4.69%		-200		-14.89%		1,343
	Lake		2,584		55.06%		1,961		41.79%		148		3.15%		623		13.27%		4,693
	Lapeer		15,749		42.30%		20,351		54.66%		1,134		3.05%		-4,602		-12.36%		37,234
	Leelanau		4,635		38.60%		6,840		56.96%		534		4.45%		-2,205		-18.36%		12,009
	Lenawee		18,365		45.81%		20,681		51.58%		1,047		2.61%		-2,316		-5.77%		40,093
	Livingston		28,780		38.13%		44,637		59.14%		2,058		2.73%		-15,857		-21.01%		75,475
	Luce		956		37.70%		1,480		58.36%		100		3.94%		-524		-20.66%		2,536
	Mackinac		2,533		42.43%		3,272		54.81%		165		2.76%		-739		-12.38%		5,970
	Macomb		172,625		49.96%		164,265		47.54%		8,669		2.51%		8,360		2.42%		345,559
	Manistee		5,639		49.34%		5,401		47.26%		388		3.40%		238		2.08%		11,428
	Marquette		15,503		53.13%		12,577		43.10%		1,099		3.77%		2,926		10.03%		29,179
	Mason		5,579		42.86%		7,066		54.29%		371		2.85%		-1,487		-11.43%		13,016
	Mecosta		6,300		42.70%		8,072		54.71%		382		2.59%		-1,772		-12.01%		14,754
	Menominee		4,597		44.06%		5,529		52.99%		308		2.95%		-932		-8.93%		10,434
	Midland		15,959		41.04%		21,887		56.28%		1,042		2.68%		-5,928		-15.24%		38,888
	Missaukee		2,062		31.74%		4,274		65.79%		160		2.46%		-2,212		-34.05%		6,496
	Monroe		31,555		51.06%		28,940		46.83%		1,300		2.10%		2,615		4.23%		61,795
	Montcalm		9,627		42.03%		12,696		55.43%		581		2.54%		-3,069		-13.40%		22,904
	Montmorency		2,139		42.70%		2,750		54.90%		120		2.40%		-611		-12.20%		5,009
	Muskegon		37,865		54.66%		30,028		43.35%		1,377		1.99%		7,837		11.31%		69,270
	Newaygo		7,677		39.25%		11,399		58.29%		481		2.46%		-3,722		-19.04%		19,557
	Oakland		281,201		49.31%		274,319		48.10%		14,745		2.59%		6,882		1.21%		570,265
	Oceana		4,597		42.68%		5,913		54.89%		262		2.43%		-1,316		-12.21%		10,772
	Ogemaw		4,896		49.68%		4,706		47.75%		253		2.57%		190		1.93%		9,855
	Ontonagon		1,514		36.47%		2,472		59.55%		165		3.97%		-958		-23.08%		4,151
	Osceola		4,006		40.34%		5,680		57.20%		244		2.46%		-1,674		-16.86%		9,930
	Oscoda		1,677		42.01%		2,207		55.29%		108		2.71%		-530		-13.28%		3,992
	Otsego		4,034		38.40%		6,108		58.14%		363		3.46%		-2,074		-19.74%		10,505
	Ottawa		29,600		26.76%		78,703		71.16%		2,296		2.08%		-49,103		-44.40%		110,599
	Presque Isle		3,242		45.79%		3,660		51.69%		178		2.51%		-418		-5.90%		7,080
	Roscommon		6,433		49.76%		6,190		47.88%		305		2.36%		243		1.88%		12,928
	Saginaw		50,825		54.21%		41,152		43.89%		1,779		1.90%		9,673		10.32%		93,756
	St. Clair		33,002		48.17%		33,571		49.00%		1,943		2.84%		-569		-0.83%		68,516
	St. Joseph		8,574		38.93%		12,906		58.60%		544		2.47%		-4,332		-19.67%		22,024
	Sanilac		7,153		38.53%		10,966		59.06%		447		2.41%		-3,813		-20.53%		18,566
	Schoolcraft		2,036		48.50%		2,088		49.74%		74		1.76%		-52		-1.24%		4,198
	Shiawassee		15,520		48.17%		15,816		49.09%		882		2.74%		-296		-0.92%		32,218
	Tuscola		10,845		43.99%		13,213		53.60%		594		2.41%		-2,368		-9.61%		24,652
	Van Buren		13,796		46.79%		14,792		50.17%		894		3.03%		-996		-3.38%		29,482
	Washtenaw		86,647		59.78%		52,459		36.19%		5,834		4.03%		34,188		23.59%		144,940
	Wayne		530,414		69.01%		223,021		29.02%		15,192		1.98%		307,393		39.99%		768,627
	Wexford		5,326		41.03%		7,215		55.58%		441		3.40%		-1,889		-14.55%		12,982
Totals	2,170,418	51.28%	1,953,139	46.14%	109,154	2.58%	217,279	5.13%	4,232,711

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Alcona (Largest city: Harrisville)
• Alger (Largest city: Munising)
• Baraga (Largest city: Baraga)
• Benzie (Largest city: Frankfort)
• Branch (Largest city: Coldwater)
• Cass (Largest city: Dowagiac)
• Cheboygan (Largest city: Cheboygan)
• Chippewa (Largest city: Sault Ste. Marie)
• Crawford (Largest city: Grayling)
• Delta (Largest city: Escanaba)
• Dickinson (Largest city: Iron Mountain)
• Gladwin (Largest city: Gladwin)
• Gratiot (Largest city: Alma)
• Houghton (Largest city: Houghton)
• Huron (Largest city: Bad Axe)
• Kalkaska (Largest city: Kalkaska)
• Keweenaw (Largest city: Ahmeek)
• Lapeer (Largest city: Lapeer)
• Lenawee (Largest city: Adrian)
• Luce (Largest city: Newberry)
• Mackinac (Largest city: St. Ignace)
• Mason (Largest city: Ludington)
• Mecosta (Largest city: Big Rapids)
• Menominee (Largest city: Menominee)
• Montcalm (Largest city: Greenville)
• Montmorency (Largest city: Lewiston)
• Oceana (Largest city: Hart)
• Ontonagon (Largest city: Ontonagon)
• Osceola (Largest city: Reed City)
• Oscoda (Largest city: Mio)
• Presque Isle (Largest city: Rogers City)
• Schoolcraft (Largest city: Manistique)
• Shiawassee (Largest city: Owosso)
• St. Clair (Largest city: Port Huron)
• Tuscola (Largest city: Caro)
• Van Buren (Largest city: South Haven)
• Wexford (Largest city: Cadillac)

Electors

See main article: List of 2000 United States presidential electors.

Technically the voters of Michigan cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. For this election, Michigan was allocated 18 electors because it had 16 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 18 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 18 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 18, 2000^[5] 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 were pledged to and voted for Gore and Lieberman:^[6]

• Lana Boldi
• John Cherry
• Patty Fedewa
• Sigrid L. Grace
• Dona Jean Graham
• Freman Hendrix
• Jeff Jenks
• John Kelly
• Don Oetman
• Ken Oke
• Charles Prather
• Jim Ramey
• Iris K. Salters
• Judith L. Strong
• David P. Taylor
• Juli Trudell
• Mary Warner
• Marie Weigold

See also

• Presidency of George W. Bush
• United States presidential elections in Michigan

Notes and References

1. Web site: Election Precinct Results Search . Michigan.gov . State of Michigan . 3 May 2021.
2. Web site: General Election Voter Registration / Turnout Statistics . Michigan.gov . Michigan Board of Elections . 3 May 2021.
3. Web site: Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
4. https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/data.php?year=2000&fips=26&f=0&off=0&elect=0&datatype=cd&def=1 2000 Presidential General Election Data - Michigan
5. Web site: 2000 Post-Election Timeline of Events.
6. Web site: President Elect - 2000 . 2009-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120212174238/http://presidentelect.org/e2000.html . 2012-02-12 . dead .