Fresno, CA Politics: Is It Liberal or Conservative?

Election Results and Trends in Fresno, CA

In the last Presidential election, Fresno, CA voted predominantly Democrat, with 52.9% of voters casting their ballot for Biden, while 45.1% of voters in Fresno voted for Trump, and other parties voting 2.0%. Based on these voting patterns, Fresno is considered a slightly leaning liberal city. Specifically, it ranks 115th 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, Fresno ranks 222nd 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 Fresno, CA are: R R D D D D

Fresno's voting trend in Presidential elections over the past 25 years has been somewhat mixed, with noticeable leanings towards conservative candidates. While the state of California has generally favored Democrats, Fresno County often leans Republican. For example, Republicans Dole (1996), Bush (2000, 2004), McCain (2008), Romney (2012), and Trump (2016) won Fresno County, though Biden (2020) narrowly won. The city's voting patterns reflect a diverse demographic with agricultural interests, contributing to a more conservative stance in presidential elections.

Local Elections

In local/city level elections, Fresno's trend also leaned conservative, with mayoral elections often won by Republican candidates. This includes Mayors like Alan Autry and Jerry Dyer from the Republican Party. Some shifts have been noted in recent years, indicating a somewhat more balanced political climate, but the historical trend still shows a conservative inclination.