Madison, WI Politics: Is It Liberal or Conservative?

Election Results and Trends in Madison, WI

In the last Presidential election, Madison, WI voted predominantly Democrat, with 75.5% of voters casting their ballot for Biden, while 22.9% of voters in Madison voted for Trump, and other parties voting 1.7%. Based on these voting patterns, Madison is considered a very liberal city. Specifically, it ranks 20th 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, Madison ranks 310th 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 Madison, WI are: D D D D D D

Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, has consistently leaned toward Democrat candidates in the past 25 years. The city voted for Bill Clinton in 1996, Al Gore in 2000, John Kerry (2004), Barack Obama (2008 and 2012), Hillary Clinton (2016), and Joe Biden in 2020. Home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the city's voting pattern often reflects progressive values and the influence of a large student population.

Local Elections

Local elections in Madison have similarly trended towards liberal candidates. The city's mayoral office has been held by Democrats or those with liberal leanings since 1973. Progressive policies and ideologies dominate City Council and other local government elections. This consistency underscores Madison's long-standing commitment to liberal principles.