Tempe, AZ Politics: Is It Liberal or Conservative?

Election Results and Trends in Tempe, AZ

In the last Presidential election, Tempe, AZ voted predominantly Democrat, with 50.3% of voters casting their ballot for Biden, while 48.1% of voters in Tempe voted for Trump, and other parties voting 1.5%. Based on these voting patterns, Tempe is considered a slightly leaning liberal city. Specifically, it ranks 78th out of the most populated 333 cities in the United States in terms of conservatism based on the 2020 Presidential election results. Conversely, when looking at the liberal voting patterns in the 2020 election, Tempe ranks 240th out of the 333 most populated cities, indicating a relatively low liberal vote.

Presidential Elections Voting Trend

The last six Presidential election results (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) for Tempe, AZ are: R R R R R D

Tempe has shown a mixed but trending liberal inclination in presidential elections. Bill Clinton was elected president of the city in 1996. Bush won elections in 2000 and 2004. 2008 and 2012 saw the election of Barack Obama. This transition from supporting Republican candidates to favoring Democrat candidates represents a significant shift in the political alignment of Tempe's voters.

Local Elections

At the local/city level, Tempe has had a history of nonpartisan elections for mayor and City Council. However, the trend in recent years has leaned more liberal. Progressive measures and candidates have found support in Tempe, emphasizing issues such as sustainability, education, and equality. This has been reflected in the leadership of Mayors such as Hugh Hallman and Mark Mitchell.