Buffalo, NY Politics: Is It Liberal or Conservative?

Election Results and Trends in Buffalo, NY

In the last Presidential election, Buffalo, NY voted predominantly Democrat, with 56.0% of voters casting their ballot for Biden, while 41.4% of voters in Buffalo voted for Trump, and other parties voting 2.5%. Based on these voting patterns, Buffalo is considered a moderately liberal city. Specifically, it ranks 163rd out of the most populated 333 cities in the United States in terms of liberalism based on the 2020 Presidential election results. Conversely, when looking at the conservative voting patterns in the 2020 election, Buffalo ranks 175th out of the 333 most populated cities, indicating a relatively low conservative vote.

Presidential Elections Voting Trend

The last six Presidential election results (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) for Buffalo, NY are: D D D D D D

Over the past quarter-century, Buffalo has consistently supported Democrat candidates in Presidential elections. The city voted for Bill Clinton in 1996, Al Gore (2000), John Kerry (2004), Barack Obama (2008 and 2012), Hillary Clinton (2016), and Joe Biden in 2020. The inclination towards Democrat candidates reflects the urban population's social and economic policy preferences.

Local Elections

In local elections, Buffalo's trend has similarly leaned liberal. Democrat mayors have led the city since the 1960s, with Byron Brown as mayor since 2005. City Council members and other local officials also predominantly affiliate with the Democrat Party, reflecting Buffalo's historical union ties and economic orientation.