2004 United States presidential election in California

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates {{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:Infobox election Template:ElectionsCA The 2004 United States presidential election in California took place on November 2 as part of the 2004 United States presidential election. Voters chose 55 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

California was won by Democratic nominee John Kerry by a 9.94% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all leading news organizations considered this a state Kerry would win, or otherwise considered as a safe blue state. Republican presidential candidates have not taken California's electoral votes since Bush's father George H. W. Bush in his victory over Michael Dukakis in 1988. Bush would become the first Republican to win two terms in the White House without winning California at least once. With its 55 electoral votes, California was John Kerry's biggest electoral prize in 2004.

This marked the first election since 1880 in which the Republican nominee won the nationwide popular vote without California and the first time since 1976 that it voted for the popular vote loser. It was also the first time since Californian statehood in 1850 that a presidential candidate, of any party, was elected to two terms to the presidency without winning the state either time.

2004 is the most recent election in which a Republican presidential candidate has received more than 40% of the vote in California. It is also the most recent time a Republican has won more than a third of the vote in Los Angeles County, and the latest time the gap between the Republican and Democratic candidates was less than two million votes and single-digit points.

Primaries

• 2004 California Democratic presidential primary
• 2004 California Republican presidential primary

Campaign

Predictions

There were 12 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Source	Ranking
D.C. Political Report	Template:USRaceRating
Associated Press	Template:USRaceRating
CNN	Template:USRaceRating
Cook Political Report	Template:USRaceRating
Newsweek	Template:USRaceRating
New York Times	Template:USRaceRating
Rasmussen Reports	Template:USRaceRating
Research 2000	Template:USRaceRating
Washington Post	Template:USRaceRating
Washington Times	Template:USRaceRating
Zogby International	Template:USRaceRating
Washington Dispatch	Template:USRaceRating

Polling

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Kerry led every single pre-election poll. The final 3 polls average Kerry leading at 52% to Bush at 43% to Nader at 2%.<ref>Election 2004 Polls - Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections</ref>

Fundraising

Bush raised $20,296,645, the second most money raised state for him. It accounted for 10.7% of all the money he raised in 2004.<ref>George W Bush - $374,659,453 raised, '04 election cycle, Republican Party, President</ref> Kerry raised $36,378,063, which is by far the most money raised for Kerry by any state. The money raised in California accounted for almost 20% of all money he raised in 2004.<ref>John F Kerry - $345,826,176 raised, '04 election cycle, Democratic Party, President</ref>

Advertising and visits

Neither Kerry nor Bush advertised or campaigned in the state during the fall election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Analysis

File:John Kerry at Oakland rally 2004 (6254148323).jpg

John Kerry at rally for the Teamsters in Oakland, 2004

California was once a Republican-leaning swing state, supporting Republican candidates in every election from 1952 through 1988, except in 1964. However, since the 1990s, California has become a reliably Democratic state with a highly diverse ethnic population (mostly Latino) and liberal bastions such as the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County. The last time a Republican candidate won the state was in 1988 by George H. W. Bush.

In 2004, the state did swing slightly Republican by a 1.9% margin from 2000 due to strong swings in heavily populated San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Kern, Fresno, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties, in all of which Bush increased his margin by substantially more than he did nationally, and all of which save San Diego, San Joaquin, and Ventura he won by double digits. Bush also won over a million votes in Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States; and he held Kerry to a 0.2% margin in Sacramento County (which Gore had won by 4.0%). Bush also benefited from strong support by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the state's Republican governor.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> These factors likely contributed to California being closer than expected in 2004.

Bush remains the last Republican candidate to win San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties in a presidential election. Fresno, Merced, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties would not vote Republican again until 2024. He is also the last candidate of any party to win Butte county by a majority. This is the last time the Democratic Party failed to obtain at least 60% of the vote until 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Results

2004 United States presidential election in California<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation						CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Electoral votes
	Democratic	John Forbes Kerry and John Reid Edwards	6,745,485	54.31%	55
	Republican	George Walker Bush and Richard Bruce Cheney (incumbent)	5,509,826	44.36%	0
	Libertarian	Michael Badnarik	50,165	0.40%	0
	Green	David Cobb	40,771	0.33%	0
	Peace and Freedom	Leonard Peltier	27,607	0.22%	0
	American Independent	Michael Peroutka	26,645	0.21%	0
	Independent	Ralph Nader (write-in)	21,213	0.17%	0
	Independent	John Joseph Kennedy (write-in)	82	0.00%	0
	Independent	John Parker (write-in)	49	0.00%	0
	Independent	James Alexander-Pace (write-in)	8	0.00%	0
	Independent	Anthony Jabin (write-in)	1	0.00%	0
Totals			12,421,852	100.00%	55
Voter turnout (Voting Age voters)					74.7%

By county

County	John Kerry Democratic		George W. Bush Republican		Various candidates Other parties		Margin		Total votes cast
	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Alameda	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 422,585	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 75.18%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 130,911	Template:Party shading/Republican| 23.29%	Template:Party shading/Others| 8,590	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.53%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 291,674	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 51.89%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 562,090
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Alpine	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 373	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 53.21%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 311	Template:Party shading/Republican| 44.37%	Template:Party shading/Others| 17	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.43%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 62	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 8.84%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 701
Template:Party shading/Republican| Amador	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 6,541	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 36.56%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 11,107	Template:Party shading/Republican| 62.08%	Template:Party shading/Others| 243	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.36%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -4,566	Template:Party shading/Republican| -25.52%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 17,891
Template:Party shading/Republican| Butte	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 42,448	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 44.14%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 51,662	Template:Party shading/Republican| 53.73%	Template:Party shading/Others| 2,047	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.13%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -9,214	Template:Party shading/Republican| -9.59%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 96,157
Template:Party shading/Republican| Calaveras	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 8,286	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 37.09%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 13,601	Template:Party shading/Republican| 60.87%	Template:Party shading/Others| 456	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.04%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -5,315	Template:Party shading/Republican| -23.78%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 22,343
Template:Party shading/Republican| Colusa	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 1,947	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 31.58%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 4,142	Template:Party shading/Republican| 67.17%	Template:Party shading/Others| 77	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.25%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -2,195	Template:Party shading/Republican| -35.59%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 6,166
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Contra Costa	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 257,254	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 62.28%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 150,608	Template:Party shading/Republican| 36.46%	Template:Party shading/Others| 5,166	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.25%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 106,646	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 25.82%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 413,028
Template:Party shading/Republican| Del Norte	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 3,892	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 41.31%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 5,356	Template:Party shading/Republican| 56.85%	Template:Party shading/Others| 173	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.84%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -1,464	Template:Party shading/Republican| -15.54%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 9,421
Template:Party shading/Republican| El Dorado	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 32,242	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 37.33%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 52,878	Template:Party shading/Republican| 61.23%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,244	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.44%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -20,636	Template:Party shading/Republican| -23.90%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 86,364
Template:Party shading/Republican| Fresno	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 103,154	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 41.68%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 141,988	Template:Party shading/Republican| 57.38%	Template:Party shading/Others| 2,321	Template:Party shading/Others| 0.94%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -38,834	Template:Party shading/Republican| -15.70%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 247,463
Template:Party shading/Republican| Glenn	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 2,995	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 31.68%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 6,308	Template:Party shading/Republican| 66.72%	Template:Party shading/Others| 151	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.60%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -3,313	Template:Party shading/Republican| -35.04%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 9,454
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Humboldt	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 37,988	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 57.66%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 25,714	Template:Party shading/Republican| 39.03%	Template:Party shading/Others| 2,184	Template:Party shading/Others| 3.31%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 12,274	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 18.63%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 65,886
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Imperial	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 17,964	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 52.41%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 15,890	Template:Party shading/Republican| 46.36%	Template:Party shading/Others| 420	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.23%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 2,074	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 6.05%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 34,274
Template:Party shading/Republican| Inyo	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 3,350	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 38.88%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 5,091	Template:Party shading/Republican| 59.09%	Template:Party shading/Others| 175	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.03%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -1,741	Template:Party shading/Republican| -20.21%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 8,616
Template:Party shading/Republican| Kern	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 68,603	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 32.49%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 140,417	Template:Party shading/Republican| 66.49%	Template:Party shading/Others| 2,154	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.02%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -71,814	Template:Party shading/Republican| -34.00%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 211,174
Template:Party shading/Republican| Kings	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 10,833	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 33.74%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 21,003	Template:Party shading/Republican| 65.41%	Template:Party shading/Others| 274	Template:Party shading/Others| 0.85%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -10,170	Template:Party shading/Republican| -31.67%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 32,110
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Lake	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 13,141	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 53.16%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 11,093	Template:Party shading/Republican| 44.88%	Template:Party shading/Others| 485	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.96%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 2,048	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 8.28%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 24,719
Template:Party shading/Republican| Lassen	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 3,158	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 27.58%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 8,126	Template:Party shading/Republican| 70.97%	Template:Party shading/Others| 166	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.45%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -4,968	Template:Party shading/Republican| -43.39%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 11,450
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Los Angeles	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 1,907,736	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 63.10%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 1,076,225	Template:Party shading/Republican| 35.60%	Template:Party shading/Others| 39,319	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.30%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 831,511	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 27.50%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 3,023,280
Template:Party shading/Republican| Madera	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 13,481	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 34.70%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 24,871	Template:Party shading/Republican| 64.02%	Template:Party shading/Others| 498	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.28%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -11,390	Template:Party shading/Republican| -29.32%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 38,850
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Marin	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 99,070	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 73.21%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 34,378	Template:Party shading/Republican| 25.40%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,877	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.39%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 64,692	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 47.81%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 135,325
Template:Party shading/Republican| Mariposa	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 3,251	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 37.55%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 5,215	Template:Party shading/Republican| 60.23%	Template:Party shading/Others| 192	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.22%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -1,964	Template:Party shading/Republican| -22.68%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 8,658
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Mendocino	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 24,385	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 63.45%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 12,955	Template:Party shading/Republican| 33.71%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,089	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.83%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 11,430	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 29.74%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 38,429
Template:Party shading/Republican| Merced	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 24,491	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 42.26%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 32,773	Template:Party shading/Republican| 56.54%	Template:Party shading/Others| 696	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.20%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -8,282	Template:Party shading/Republican| -14.28%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 57,960
Template:Party shading/Republican| Modoc	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 1,149	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 25.72%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 3,235	Template:Party shading/Republican| 72.42%	Template:Party shading/Others| 83	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.86%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -2,086	Template:Party shading/Republican| -46.70%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 4,467
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Mono	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 2,628	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 49.23%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 2,621	Template:Party shading/Republican| 49.10%	Template:Party shading/Others| 89	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.67%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 7	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 0.13%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 5,338
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Monterey	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 75,241	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 60.36%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 47,838	Template:Party shading/Republican| 38.38%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,574	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.26%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 27,403	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 21.98%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 124,653
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Napa	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 33,666	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 59.48%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 22,059	Template:Party shading/Republican| 38.97%	Template:Party shading/Others| 874	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.54%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 11,607	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 20.51%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 56,599
Template:Party shading/Republican| Nevada	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 24,220	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 44.92%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 28,790	Template:Party shading/Republican| 53.39%	Template:Party shading/Others| 910	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.69%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -4,570	Template:Party shading/Republican| -8.47%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 53,920
Template:Party shading/Republican| Orange	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 419,239	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 38.98%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 641,832	Template:Party shading/Republican| 59.68%	Template:Party shading/Others| 14,328	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.33%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -222,593	Template:Party shading/Republican| -20.70%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 1,075,399
Template:Party shading/Republican| Placer	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 55,573	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 36.26%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 95,969	Template:Party shading/Republican| 62.61%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,736	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.13%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -40,396	Template:Party shading/Republican| -26.35%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 153,278
Template:Party shading/Republican| Plumas	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 4,129	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 36.90%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 6,905	Template:Party shading/Republican| 61.71%	Template:Party shading/Others| 156	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.39%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -2,776	Template:Party shading/Republican| -24.81%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 11,190
Template:Party shading/Republican| Riverside	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 228,806	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 41.04%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 322,473	Template:Party shading/Republican| 57.83%	Template:Party shading/Others| 6,300	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.13%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -93,667	Template:Party shading/Republican| -16.79%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 557,579
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Sacramento	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 236,657	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 49.52%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 235,539	Template:Party shading/Republican| 49.29%	Template:Party shading/Others| 5,670	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.19%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 1,118	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 0.23%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 477,866
Template:Party shading/Democratic| San Benito	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 9,851	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 52.61%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 8,698	Template:Party shading/Republican| 46.45%	Template:Party shading/Others| 176	Template:Party shading/Others| 0.94%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 1,153	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 6.16%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 18,725
Template:Party shading/Republican| San Bernardino	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 227,789	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 43.53%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 289,306	Template:Party shading/Republican| 55.29%	Template:Party shading/Others| 6,181	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.18%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -61,517	Template:Party shading/Republican| -11.76%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 523,276
Template:Party shading/Republican| San Diego	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 526,437	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 46.33%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 596,033	Template:Party shading/Republican| 52.45%	Template:Party shading/Others| 13,881	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.22%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -69,596	Template:Party shading/Republican| -6.12%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 1,136,351
Template:Party shading/Democratic| San Francisco	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 296,772	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 83.02%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 54,355	Template:Party shading/Republican| 15.21%	Template:Party shading/Others| 6,338	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.77%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 242,417	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 67.81%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 357,465
Template:Party shading/Republican| San Joaquin	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 87,012	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 45.83%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 100,978	Template:Party shading/Republican| 53.18%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,874	Template:Party shading/Others| 0.99%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -13,966	Template:Party shading/Republican| -7.35%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 189,864
Template:Party shading/Republican| San Luis Obispo	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 58,742	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 45.52%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 67,995	Template:Party shading/Republican| 52.69%	Template:Party shading/Others| 2,313	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.79%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -9,253	Template:Party shading/Republican| -7.17%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 129,050
Template:Party shading/Democratic| San Mateo	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 197,922	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 69.48%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 83,315	Template:Party shading/Republican| 29.25%	Template:Party shading/Others| 3,620	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.27%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 114,607	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 40.23%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 284,857
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Santa Barbara	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 90,314	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 53.17%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 76,806	Template:Party shading/Republican| 45.22%	Template:Party shading/Others| 2,741	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.61%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 13,508	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 7.95%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 169,861
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Santa Clara	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 386,100	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 63.94%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 209,094	Template:Party shading/Republican| 34.63%	Template:Party shading/Others| 8,622	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.43%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 177,006	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 29.31%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 603,816
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Santa Cruz	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 89,102	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 72.98%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 30,354	Template:Party shading/Republican| 24.86%	Template:Party shading/Others| 2,628	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.15%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 58,748	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 48.12%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 122,084
Template:Party shading/Republican| Shasta	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 24,339	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 31.31%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 52,249	Template:Party shading/Republican| 67.22%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,143	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.47%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -27,910	Template:Party shading/Republican| -35.91%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 77,731
Template:Party shading/Republican| Sierra	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 646	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 33.16%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 1,249	Template:Party shading/Republican| 64.12%	Template:Party shading/Others| 53	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.72%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -603	Template:Party shading/Republican| -30.96%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 1,948
Template:Party shading/Republican| Siskiyou	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 7,880	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 37.71%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 12,673	Template:Party shading/Republican| 60.64%	Template:Party shading/Others| 346	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.66%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -4,793	Template:Party shading/Republican| -22.93%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 20,899
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Solano	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 85,096	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 57.17%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 62,301	Template:Party shading/Republican| 41.86%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,440	Template:Party shading/Others| 0.97%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 22,795	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 15.31%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 148,837
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Sonoma	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 148,261	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 67.18%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 68,204	Template:Party shading/Republican| 30.90%	Template:Party shading/Others| 4,225	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.91%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 80,057	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 36.28%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 220,690
Template:Party shading/Republican| Stanislaus	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 58,829	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 40.40%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 85,407	Template:Party shading/Republican| 58.65%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,388	Template:Party shading/Others| 0.95%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -26,578	Template:Party shading/Republican| -18.25%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 145,624
Template:Party shading/Republican| Sutter	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 9,602	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 31.85%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 20,254	Template:Party shading/Republican| 67.19%	Template:Party shading/Others| 289	Template:Party shading/Others| 0.96%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -10,652	Template:Party shading/Republican| -35.34%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 30,145
Template:Party shading/Republican| Tehama	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 7,504	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 32.01%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 15,572	Template:Party shading/Republican| 66.42%	Template:Party shading/Others| 368	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.57%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -8,068	Template:Party shading/Republican| -34.41%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 23,444
Template:Party shading/Republican| Trinity	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 2,782	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 42.71%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 3,560	Template:Party shading/Republican| 54.66%	Template:Party shading/Others| 171	Template:Party shading/Others| 2.63%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -778	Template:Party shading/Republican| -11.95%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 6,513
Template:Party shading/Republican| Tulare	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 32,494	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 32.87%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 65,399	Template:Party shading/Republican| 66.15%	Template:Party shading/Others| 967	Template:Party shading/Others| 0.98%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -32,905	Template:Party shading/Republican| -33.28%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 98,860
Template:Party shading/Republican| Tuolumne	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 10,104	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 38.51%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 15,745	Template:Party shading/Republican| 60.02%	Template:Party shading/Others| 386	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.47%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -5,641	Template:Party shading/Republican| -21.51%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 26,235
Template:Party shading/Republican| Ventura	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 148,859	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 47.53%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 160,314	Template:Party shading/Republican| 51.19%	Template:Party shading/Others| 4,020	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.28%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -11,455	Template:Party shading/Republican| -3.66%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 313,193
Template:Party shading/Democratic| Yolo	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 42,885	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 59.34%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 28,005	Template:Party shading/Republican| 38.75%	Template:Party shading/Others| 1,379	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.91%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 14,880	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 20.59%	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 72,269
Template:Party shading/Republican| Yuba	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 5,687	Template:Party shading/Democratic| 31.55%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 12,076	Template:Party shading/Republican| 67.00%	Template:Party shading/Others| 261	Template:Party shading/Others| 1.45%	Template:Party shading/Republican| -6,389	Template:Party shading/Republican| -35.45%	Template:Party shading/Republican| 18,024
Total	6,745,485	54.30%	5,509,826	44.36%	166,548	1.34%	1,235,659	9.94%	12,421,859

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Alpine (largest municipality: Markleeville)
• Mono (largest municipality: Mammoth Lakes)

By congressional district

Kerry won 31 of 53 congressional districts, with the remaining 22 going to Bush, including two that elected Democrats.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

District	Bush	Kerry	Representative
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	38%	60%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Mike Thompson
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	62%	37%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Wally Herger
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	58%	41%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Doug Ose
Template:Party shading/Republican|Dan Lungren
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	61%	37%	Template:Party shading/Republican|John Doolittle
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	38%	61%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Bob Matsui
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	28%	70%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Lynn Woolsey
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	32%	67%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|George Miller
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	14%	84%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Nancy Pelosi
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	13%	86%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Barbara Lee
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	40%	59%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Ellen Tauscher
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	54%	45%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Richard Pombo
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	27%	72%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Tom Lantos
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	28%	71%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Pete Stark
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	30%	68%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Anna Eshoo
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	36%	63%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Mike Honda
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	36%	63%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Zoe Lofgren
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	33%	66%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Sam Farr
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	50%	49%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Dennis Cardoza
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	61%	38%	Template:Party shading/Republican|George Radanovich
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	48%	51%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Cal Dooley
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Jim Costa
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	65%	34%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Devin Nunes
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	68%	31%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Bill Thomas
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	40%	58%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Lois Capps
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	56%	43%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Elton Gallegly
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	59%	40%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Howard McKeon
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	55%	44%	Template:Party shading/Republican|David Dreier
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	39%	59%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Brad Sherman
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	28%	71%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Howard Berman
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	37%	61%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Adam Schiff
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	33%	66%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Henry Waxman
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	22%	77%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Xavier Becerra
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	37%	62%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Hilda Solis
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	16%	83%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Diane Watson
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	30%	69%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Lucille Roybal-Allard
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	20%	79%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Maxine Waters
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	40%	59%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Jane Harman
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	25%	74%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Juanita Millender-McDonald
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	34%	65%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Grace Napolitano
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	40%	59%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Linda Sánchez
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	60%	38%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Ed Royce
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	62%	37%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Jerry Lewis
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	62%	37%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Gary Miller
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	41%	58%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Joe Baca
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	59%	40%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Ken Calvert
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	56%	43%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Mary Bono Mack
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	57%	42%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Dana Rohrabacher
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	50%	49%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Loretta Sanchez
rowspan=2 Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	58%	40%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Christopher Cox
Template:Party shading/Republican|John Campbell
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	63%	36%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Darrell Issa
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	55%	44%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Brian Bilbray
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	46%	53%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Bob Filner
Template:Party shading/Republican|Template:Ushr	61%	38%	Template:Party shading/Republican|Duncan Hunter
Template:Party shading/Democratic|Template:Ushr	38%	61%	Template:Party shading/Democratic|Susan Davis

Electors

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Technically the voters of California cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. California is allocated 55 electors because it has 53 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 53 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 53 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 California. All were pledged to and voted for John Kerry and John Edwards.<ref>U. S. Electoral College 2004 Election - Main Page</ref>

1. Robert H. Manley
2. Barbara Schraeger
3. Paul Johnson
4. Gary Simmons
5. Paul Batterson
6. Diana Madoshi
7. Kyriakos Tsakopoulos
8. Donald Linker
9. Paula Sandusky
10. Adam Woo
11. Chloe Drew
12. Karl Sliferv
13. Gary Prost
14. Joseph Cotchett
15. John Smith
16. George Marcus
17. Mark Hsu
18. Adele Bihn
19. Darrell Darling
20. Amarjit Dhaliwal
21. Rocco Davis
22. Kenneth Costa
23. Barbara Pyle
24. David Johnson
25. Andrew M. Siegel
26. Michael Carpenter
27. Lynda Von Husen
28. Randy Monroe
29. Lane M. Sherman
30. Moreen Blum
31. Yolanda Dyer
32. Paul I. Goldenberg
33. Lenore Wax
34. Mitch O'Farrell
35. Franklin A. Acevedo
36. Gwen Moore
37. Pedro Carillo
38. Karen Walters
39. Ted Lieu
40. Valerie McDonald
41. Marvin
42. Douglas E. Hitchcock
43. Barbara Kerr
44. Salvador Sanchez
45. Joe Baca Jr.
46. Grant Gruber
47. James T. Ewing
48. Louise Giacoppe
49. James G. Bohm
50. Mark Lam
51. Chuck Lower
52. Susan Koehler
53. Mary Salas
54. Andrew Benjamin
55. Margaret Lawrence