Rockford, IL Politics: Is It Liberal or Conservative?

Election Results and Trends in Rockford, IL

In the last Presidential election, Rockford, IL voted predominantly Republican, with 50.1% of voters casting their ballot for Trump, while 47.7% of voters in Rockford voted for Biden, and other parties voting 2.2%. Based on these voting patterns, Rockford is considered a slightly leaning conservative city. Specifically, it ranks 69th 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, Rockford ranks 266th 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 Rockford, IL are: R R D D R R

Rockford, Illinois, has exhibited a trend toward liberal voting in Presidential elections. The city supported Democrat candidates like Bill Clinton (1996), Al Gore (2000), John Kerry (2004), Barack Obama (2008 and 2012), and Hillary Clinton (2016.) In 2020, the majority of voters in Rockford also supported Joe Biden. This pattern aligns with the broader liberal shift seen in many urban areas in Illinois.

Local Elections

City-level elections in Rockford have similarly leaned towards liberal and Democrat candidates in the last 25 years. Local governance has often reflected progressive values, especially concerning social welfare programs, education, and healthcare. However, some nonpartisan city offices have seen competition without clear partisan lines.