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{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox Election
| election_name = United States presidential election, 2004 {{for|related races|2004 United States elections}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2004 United States presidential election
| country = United States | country = United States
| type = presidential | type = presidential
| ongoing = no | ongoing = no
| previous_election = United States presidential election, 2000 | opinion_polls = Statewide opinion polling for the 2004 United States presidential election
| previous_election = 2000 United States presidential election
| previous_year = 2000 | previous_year = 2000
| election_date = November 2, 2004
| next_election = United States presidential election, 2008
| next_election = 2008 United States presidential election
| next_year = 2008 | next_year = 2008
| votes_for_election = 538 members of the ]
| election_date = November 2, 2004
| needed_votes = 270 electoral
<!-- George W. Bush -->
| turnout = 60.1%<ref>{{Cite web |title=National General Election VEP Turnout Rates, 1789-Present |url=https://www.electproject.org/national-1789-present |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725110444/http://www.electproject.org/national-1789-present |archive-date=July 25, 2014 |access-date=February 21, 2023 |website=United States Election Project |publisher=]}}</ref> {{increase}} 5.9 ]
| image1 = ]
| image_size = x200px
| nominee1 = ]
| image1 = George-W-Bush.jpeg
| nominee1 = ''']'''
| party1 = Republican Party (United States) | party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| home_state1 = ] | home_state1 = ]
| running_mate1 = ''']''' | running_mate1 = ''']'''
| electoral_vote1 = 286 | electoral_vote1 = '''286'''
| states_carried1 = 31 | states_carried1 = '''31'''
| popular_vote1 = 62,040,610 | popular_vote1 = '''62,040,610'''
| percentage1 = '''{{percent|<!-- BUSH: --> 62,040,610|<!-- TOTAL: --> 122,295,345|1|pad=yes}}'''
| percentage1 = 50.7%
| image2 = File:John F. Kerry.jpg
<!-- John Kerry -->
| image2 = ]
| nominee2 = ] | nominee2 = ]
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States) | party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| home_state2 = ] | home_state2 = ]
| running_mate2 = ] | running_mate2 = ]
| electoral_vote2 = 251{{efn|One Minnesota elector voted for Edwards for both president and vice president.}}
| electoral_vote2 = 251<ref>One Minnesota elector voted for John Edwards for both President and Vice President. During the counting of the vote in Congress, Rep. ] (D-Ohio) and Sen. ] (D-Calif.) raised objections to the Ohio Certificate of Vote alleging that the votes were not regularly given. Both houses voted to override the objection, 74 to 1 in the Senate and 267 to 31 in the House of Representatives. See from the ].</ref>
| states_carried2 = 19 + ] | states_carried2 = 19 + ]
| popular_vote2 = 59,028,444 | popular_vote2 = 59,028,444
| percentage2 = {{percent|<!-- KERRY: --> 59,028,444|<!-- TOTAL: --> 122,295,345|1|pad=yes}}
| percentage2 = 48.3%
| map_image = ElectoralCollege2004.svg
| map_size = 350px | map_size = 350px
| map = {{2004 United States presidential election imagemap}}
| map_caption = Presidential election results map. <span style="color: #CC2200">Red</span> denotes states won by Bush/Cheney, <span style="color: blue">Blue</span> denotes those won by Kerry/Edwards. The split vote in Minnesota denotes a ]'s vote counted for John Edwards. Each number represents the electoral votes a state gave to one candidate.
| map_caption = Presidential election results map. <span style="color:darkred;">Red</span> denotes states won by Bush/Cheney and <span style="color:darkblue;">blue</span> denotes those won by Kerry/Edwards. <span style="color:#BBCFEC;">Light blue</span> is the electoral vote for John Edwards by a Minnesota ]. Numbers indicate ] cast by each state and the District of Columbia.
| title = President | title = President
| before_election = ] | before_election = ]
Line 38: Line 45:
| after_party = Republican Party (United States) | after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}} }}
The ] held its 55th quadrennial ] election on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. ] candidate and ] President ] defeated ] candidate ], the junior ] from ]. ] was the dominant theme throughout the election campaign, particularly Bush's conduct of the ] and the ].


{{US 2004 presidential elections series}}
As in the ], ] and concerns of irregularities emerged during and after the vote. The winner was not determined until the following day, when Kerry decided not to dispute Bush's win in the state of ]. The state held enough electoral votes to determine the winner of the presidency. Both Kerry and ] Chairman ] have stated their opinion that voting in Ohio did not proceed fairly and that, had it done so, the Democratic ticket might have won that state and therefore the election.<ref name=RS>{{cite news|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen/4 |title=Was the 2004 Election Stolen? : Rolling Stone |publisher=Rollingstone.com |author=Kennedy, Robert F.|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref>


] were held in the ] on November 2, 2004. Incumbent ] President ] and his ], incumbent Vice President ], were re-elected to a second term. They narrowly defeated the ] ticket of ], a ] from ], and his running mate ], a senator from ].
Only three states changed allegiance. ] and ] voted Democratic in 2000, but voted Republican in 2004. ] voted Republican in 2000 but voted Democratic in 2004. In the ], Bush received 286 votes, and Kerry 251. Kerry's running mate, ] who had run as a Democratic primary candidate also, received one electoral vote for president from a ] from Minnesota, presumably in error, as that elector also still separately voted for Edwards for vice president as well.


Bush and Cheney were renominated by their party with no difficulty. Former ] governor ] emerged as the early front-runner in the ], but Kerry won the first set of primaries in January, and then clinched his party's nomination in March after a series of primary victories. Kerry chose Edwards, who was the runner-up in the primaries, to be his running mate. ] was the dominant theme throughout the election campaign, particularly Bush's handling of the ] and the ]. Bush presented himself as a decisive leader and attacked Kerry as a "]". Kerry criticized Bush's conduct of the ], despite having ] himself. Domestic issues were debated as well, including ] and jobs, ], ], ], and ] research.
==Background==
] won the presidency in ] after the ]'s decision in '']'' remanded the case back to the ], which declared there was not sufficient time to hold a recount without violating the ].


Bush won by a narrow margin of 35 ] and took 50.7% of the popular vote. Bush swept ] and the ] and took the crucial ]s of ], ], and ], the last two flipping Republican. Although Kerry flipped ], Bush won both more electoral votes and states than in 2000. Ohio was the ], and was considered to be the state that allowed Bush to win reelection. Some aspects of the election process were ], although not to the degree seen in the ]. Bush won ] by a 5% margin, a significant improvement over his razor-thin victory margin in the state four years earlier which led to a legal challenge in '']''. This was the first presidential election since ] where the Republican nominee won the ], the last where they won a majority of the vote, and the last where they won the popular vote until ]. It was also the first election since 1988 where any candidate received a majority of the popular vote. As of 2025, this was the most recent presidential election in which the winning candidate won fewer than 300 electoral votes. It is also the most recent in which the Republican candidate won ], ] and ].
Just eight months into his presidency, the ] of September 11, 2001 suddenly transformed Bush into a wartime president. Bush's approval ratings surged to near 90%. Within a month, the forces of a coalition led by the United States ], which had been sheltering ], suspected mastermind of the September 11 attacks. By December, the ] had been removed as rulers of ], although a long and ongoing occupation would follow.


This remains the most recent presidential election in which both major party candidates flipped at least one state, and the only presidential election since ] in which the incumbent Republican president won a second consecutive term. At the time, Bush also received the most popular votes in history, a record which would be broken in the ]. This was the last time a Republican won the majority of the popular vote. Bush also became the only incumbent president to win reelection after previously losing the popular vote and was the only Republican to win the popular vote between ] and ]. In addition, this was one of only two elections in the 21st century in which a candidate from either party won fewer than 20 states, with the other being ], where ] also won only 19 states.
The Bush administration then turned its attention to ], and argued the need to remove ] from power in Iraq had become urgent. Among the stated reasons were that Saddam's regime had tried to acquire ] and had not properly accounted for ] and ] material it was known to have previously possessed. Both the possession of these ] (WMD), and the failure to account for them, violated the ]. The assertions about WMD were hotly debated from the beginning, and their basis in U.S.] undermined by the subsequent failure to find any WMDs in Iraq. This situation escalated to the point that a coalition of about forty nations, including the United States, invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003. Within about three weeks, the invasion caused the collapse of both the Iraqi government and its ]. On May 1, ] landed on the aircraft carrier ], in a ] ], where he gave ] announcing the end of major combat operations in the ]. Bush's approval rating in the month of May was at 66%, according to a ]-]-] ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/24/politics/main555427.shtml |title=Bush Jumpstarts '04 Fundraising, Says Collecting Campaign Cash Now Will Keep War On Terror Focused - CBS News |publisher=] |date= |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> However, Bush's high approval ratings did not last. First, while the war itself was popular in the U.S., the occupation lost support as months passed and casualty figures increased, with no decrease in violence nor progress toward stability or reconstruction in Iraq. Second, as investigators combed through the country, they failed to find the predicted WMD stockpiles, which led to debate over the rationale for the war.


This is the earliest presidential election of which the presidential and vice presidential candidates of both major parties are still alive. Furthermore, this election is the most recent to date in which both major party tickets did not include a woman or person of color.
==Nominations==


== Background ==
] won the presidency in ] after the ]'s decision in '']'' remanded the case to the ], which declared there was not sufficient time to hold a recount without violating the ]. Just eight months into his presidency, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, suddenly transformed Bush into a wartime president. Bush's approval ratings surged to near 90%. Within a month, the forces of a coalition led by the United States ], which had been sheltering ], suspected mastermind of the September 11 attacks. The ] had been removed by December, although a long reconstruction would follow.


The ] then turned its attention to ] and argued the need to remove ] from power in Iraq had become urgent. Among ] were that Saddam's regime had tried to acquire ] and had not properly accounted for ] and ] material it was known to have previously possessed. Both the possession of these ] (WMD), and the failure to account for them, would violate ]. The assertion about WMD was hotly advanced by the Bush administration from the beginning, but other major powers including China, France, Germany, and Russia remained unconvinced that Iraq was a threat and refused to allow passage of a UN Security Council resolution to authorize the use of force.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tagliabue |first=John |date=March 6, 2003 |title=France, Germany and Russia Vow to Stop Use of Force Against Iraq |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/06/international/europe/france-and-russia-ready-to-use-veto-against-iraq-war.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528125012/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/06/international/europe/france-and-russia-ready-to-use-veto-against-iraq-war.html |archive-date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=February 20, 2017 |work=]}}</ref> Iraq permitted UN weapon inspectors in November 2002, who were continuing their work to assess the WMD claim when the Bush administration decided to proceed with war without UN authorization and told the inspectors to leave the country.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 17, 2003 |title=U.S Advises Weapons Inspectors to Leave Iraq |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-03-17-inspectors-iraq_x.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825014028/http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-03-17-inspectors-iraq_x.htm |archive-date=August 25, 2012 |access-date=September 17, 2017 |work=] |location=] |agency=]}}</ref> The United States invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003, along with a "]" that consisted of additional troops from the United Kingdom, and to a lesser extent, from Australia and Poland. Within about three weeks, the invasion caused the collapse of both the Iraqi government and its ]; however, the U.S. and allied forces failed to find any ] in Iraq. Nevertheless, on May 1, Bush landed on the aircraft carrier {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|CVN-72|6}}, in a ] ], where he gave ] announcing the end of "major combat operations" in the ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 16, 2004 |title=Rove Regrets Using Banner Declaring 'Mission Accomplished' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4760238 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207225336/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4760238 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=November 1, 2024 |website=] |agency=]}}</ref>
===Republican nomination===
{{main|George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2004|Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2004|2004 Republican National Convention}}
*Republican candidates
** ], President of the United States from ]


== Nominations ==
====Candidates gallery====
<gallery>
Image:George-W-Bush.jpeg|] ''']''' of ]
</gallery>


=== Republican nomination ===
Bush's popularity as a wartime president helped consolidate his base, and ward off any serious challenge to the nomination. Senator ] of Rhode Island considered challenging Bush on an anti-war platform in ], but decided not to run after the capture of ] in December 2003. <ref> Lincoln Chafee, ''Against the Tide'' (2007), p.119-120</ref>
{{main|George W. Bush 2004 presidential campaign|2004 Republican Party presidential primaries|2004 Republican National Convention}}
{{George W. Bush series}}


{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
On March 10, 2004, Bush officially clinched the number of delegates needed to be nominated at the ] in New York City. Bush accepted the nomination on September 2, 2004, and selected ] Dick Cheney as his ]. (In New York, the ticket was also on the ballot as candidates of the ]). During the convention and throughout the campaign, Bush focused on two themes: defending America against terrorism and building an ]. The ownership society included allowing people to invest some of their ] in the stock market, increasing home and stock ownership, and encouraging more people to buy their own health insurance.
|-
| style="background:#F1F1F1;" colspan="30"|]<big>'''2004 Republican Party ticket'''</big>
|-
! style="width:3em; font-size:135%; background:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}; width:200px;"| ]
! style="width:3em; font-size:135%; background:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}; width:200px;"| ]
|- style="color:#000; font-size:100%; background:#FFD0D7;"
| style="width:3em; width:200px;"|'''''for President'''''
| style="width:3em; width:200px;"|'''''for Vice President'''''
|-
| ]
| ]
|-
| ]<br>]<br /><small>(2001–2009)</small>
| ]<br>]<br /><small>(2001–2009)</small>
|-
| colspan=2 |]
|-
| colspan=2 |]
|}

Bush was able to ward off any serious challenge to the Republican nomination. Senator ] from Rhode Island considered challenging Bush on an anti-war platform in ] but decided not to run after the capture of ] in December 2003.<ref>Lincoln Chafee, ''Against the Tide'' (2007), pp. 119–20</ref> On March 10, 2004, Bush officially attained the number of delegates needed to be nominated at the ] in ]. He accepted the nomination on September 2, 2004, and retained ] ] as his ]. During the convention and throughout the campaign, Bush focused on two themes: defending America against terrorism and building an ]. The ownership society included allowing people to invest some of their ] in the stock market, increasing home and stock ownership, and encouraging more people to buy their own ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gongloff |first=Mark |date=September 2, 2004 |title=Bush to Push Ownership Society |url=https://money.cnn.com/2004/09/01/news/economy/election_bush_plan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901210439/https://money.cnn.com/2004/09/01/news/economy/election_bush_plan/ |archive-date=September 1, 2020 |access-date=November 16, 2017 |website=]}}</ref>


=== Democratic Party nomination === === Democratic Party nomination ===
{{Main|Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2004}} {{Main|John Kerry 2004 presidential campaign|2004 Democratic Party presidential primaries|2004 Democratic National Convention}}
Democratic candidates
*], U.S. senator from ]
*], U.S. senator from ]
*], former governor of ]
*], retired U.S. general from ]
*], U.S. representative from ]
*], reverend and civil rights activist from ]
*], U.S. senator from ]
*], U.S. representative from ]
*], former U.S. senator from ]
*], U.S. senator from ]


{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
====Candidates gallery====
|-
<gallery perrow="5">
| style="background:#F1F1F1;" colspan="30"|]<big>'''2004 Democratic Party ticket'''</big>
Image:John F. Kerry.jpg|] ''']''' of ] (])
|-
Image:John Edwards, official Senate photo portrait.jpg|] ''']''' of ] (])
! style="width:3em; font-size:135%; background:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}; width:200px;"| ]
Image:HowardDeanDNC-cropped.jpg|] ''']''' of ] (])
! style="width:3em; font-size:135%; background:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}; width:200px;"| ]
Image:General Wesley Clark official photograph.jpg|] ''']''' of ] (])
|- style="color:#000; font-size:100%; background:#C8EBFF;"
Image:Dennis Kucinich.jpg|] ''']''' of ] (])
| style="width:3em; width:200px;"|'''''for President'''''
Image:Al Sharpton by David Shankbone.jpg|] ''']''' of New York
| style="width:3em; width:200px;"|'''''for Vice President'''''
Image:Joe Lieberman official portrait 2.jpg|] ''']''' of ] (])
|-
Image:Dick Gephardt.jpg|] ''']''' of ]
| ]
Image:Carol Moseley Braun NZ.jpg|] ''']''' of ]
File:Bob Graham, official Senate photo portrait, color.jpg|] ''']''' of ] (]) | ]
|-
</gallery>
| ]<br />from ]<br /><small>(1985–2013)</small>
| ]<br />from ]<br /><small>(1999–2005)</small>
|-
| colspan=2 |]
|-
| colspan=2 | ]
|}


====Before the primaries==== ==== Withdrawn candidates ====
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="font-size:90%"
By summer of 2003, Howard Dean had become the apparent front runner for the Democratic nomination, performing strongly in most polls and leading the pack with the largest campaign war chest. Dean's strength as a fund raiser was attributed mainly to his embrace of the Internet for campaigning. The majority of his donations came from individual supporters, who came to be known as ''Deanites'', or, more commonly, '']''. Generally regarded as a pragmatic ] during his time as governor, Dean emerged during his presidential campaign as a left-wing ], denouncing the policies of the Bush administration (especially the ]) as well as fellow Democrats, who, in his view, failed to strongly oppose them. Senator Lieberman, a liberal on domestic issues but a hawk on the War on Terror, failed to gain traction with liberal Democratic primary voters.
| colspan="12" style="text-align:center; width:700px; font-size:120%; color:white; background:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |''Candidates in this section are sorted by popular vote from the primaries''
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;" |''']'''
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;" |''']'''
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;" |''']'''
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;" |''']'''
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;" |''']'''
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;" |''']'''
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;" |''']'''
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:120%;" |''']'''
|-
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|- style="text-align:center"
|&nbsp;] from<br>]<br><small>(1999–2005)</small>
|]<br>]<br><small>(1991–2003)</small>
|] from ]<br><small>(1997–</small><small>20</small><small>13)</small>
|]<br>]<br><small>(1997–2000)</small>
|Minister and Activist
|U.S. Senator<br>from ]<br><small>(1989–2013)</small>
|U.S. Senator<br>from ]<br><small>(1993–1999)</small>
|]<br><small>(1995–2003)</small>
|-
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|- style="text-align:center"
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|]
|- style="text-align:center"
|''W: March 2''<br><small>'''3,162,337''' votes</small>
|''W: Feb 18''<br><small>'''903,460''' votes</small>
|''W: July 22''<br>'''<small>620,242</small>''' <small>votes</small>
|''W: Feb 11''<br><small>'''547,369''' votes</small>
|''W: March 15''<br>'''<small>380,865</small>''' <small>votes</small>
|''W: Feb 3''<br>'''<small>280,940</small>''' <small>votes</small>
|''W: Jan 15''<br>'''<small>98,469</small>''' <small>votes</small>
|''W: Jan 20''<br><small>'''63,902''' votes</small>
|}


==== Democratic primaries ====
In September 2003, retired four-star general ] announced his intention to run in the ] for the Democratic Party nomination. His campaign focused on themes of leadership and patriotism; early campaign ads relied heavily on biography. His late start left him with relatively few detailed policy proposals. This weakness was apparent in his first few debates, although he soon presented a range of position papers, including a major tax-relief plan. Nevertheless, many Democrats did not flock to his campaign.
]
The ] took place from January 14 to June 8, 2004, to select the ]'s nominee for president. Before the primaries, Vermont governor ] was a favorite to win the nomination; however, Massachusetts senator ] won victories in two early races: the ] and the ]. These wins strengthened Kerry's previously weak campaign.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Adam |date=January 28, 2004 |title=Kerry Defeats Dean in New Hampshire |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/28/politics/campaign/kerry-defeats-dean-in-new-hampshire.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223075345/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/28/politics/campaign/kerry-defeats-dean-in-new-hampshire.html |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |access-date=February 23, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> By March 11, Kerry had received enough delegates to win the nomination.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Primary Results: Delegate Scorecard |url=https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/primaries/pages/scorecard/graphical.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921111752/https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/primaries/pages/scorecard/graphical.html |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=February 23, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> Other major candidates included North Carolina senator ] and retired U.S. Army general ]. Kerry asked Republican senator ] to be his running mate but McCain turned down his offer.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 12, 2004 |title=McCain Spurning Kerry on VP Slot? |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mccain-spurning-kerry-on-vp-slot/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921111628/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mccain-spurning-kerry-on-vp-slot/ |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=April 11, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |agency=]}}</ref> On July 6, Kerry selected Edwards as his running mate, shortly before the ] was held later that month in ].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Kerry Names Edwards His Running Mate |url=https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/06/kerry.vp/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223075217/https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/06/kerry.vp/ |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |access-date=February 23, 2024 |work=] |agency=]}}</ref>


==== Democratic National Convention ====
In sheer numbers, Kerry had fewer endorsements than ], who was far ahead in the ] race going into the Iowa caucuses in January 2004, although Kerry led the endorsement race in Iowa, New Hampshire, Arizona, South Carolina, New Mexico and Nevada. Kerry's main perceived weakness was in his neighboring state of New Hampshire and nearly all national polls. Most other states did not have updated polling numbers to give an accurate placing for the Kerry campaign before Iowa. Heading into the primaries, Kerry's campaign was largely seen as in trouble, particularly after he fired campaign manager ]. The key factors enabling it to survive was when fellow ] Senator ] assigned ] to be the campaign manager, as well as Kerry's ] his own home to lend the money to his campaign (while his wife was a billionaire, campaign finance rules prohibited using one's personal fortune). He also brought on the "magical" ] who would be credited with helping bring home the Iowa victory the same as he did in New Hampshire for ] in 2000 against ].
Heading into the convention, the Kerry–Edwards ticket unveiled its new slogan: a promise to make America "stronger at home and more respected in the world".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Newman |first=Maria |date=July 13, 2004 |title=Democratic Convention to Focus on Kerry's Military Service |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/politics/campaign/democratic-convention-to-focus-on-kerrys-military-service.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224204341/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/politics/campaign/democratic-convention-to-focus-on-kerrys-military-service.html |archive-date=February 24, 2024 |access-date=February 24, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Kerry made his ] experience the convention's prominent theme.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2004 |title=Kerry Casts Bush As Unfit to Lead Frayed Military |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5344731 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224204347/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5344731 |archive-date=February 24, 2024 |access-date=February 24, 2024 |website=] |language=en}}</ref> The keynote address at the convention was delivered by ] state senator and U.S. Senate candidate and future president ]; the speech was well received, and it elevated Obama's status within the Democratic Party.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bernstein |first=David |date=June 2007 |title=The Speech |url=https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2007/The-Speech/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614213455/http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2007/The-Speech/ |archive-date=June 14, 2008 |access-date=April 13, 2008 |work=]}}</ref>


====Iowa caucus==== === Other nominations ===
], the ] candidate]]
By the January 2004 ]es, the field had dwindled down to nine candidates, as Bob Graham dropped out of the race and Howard Dean was a strong front-runner. However, the ] caucuses yielded unexpectedly strong results for ] candidates ], who earned 38% of the state's delegates and ], who took 32%. Former front-runner ] slipped to 18% and third place, and ] finished fourth (11%). In the days leading up to the Iowa vote, there was much negative campaigning between the Dean and Gephardt camps.
] candidate Michael Badnarik]]
{{See also|List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2004}}
There were four other presidential tickets on the ballot in a number of states totaling enough electoral votes to have a theoretical possibility of winning a majority in the ]. They were:
* ''']&nbsp;/&nbsp;]''', ] (]). Badnarik was nominated on the third ballot and Campagna on the first ballot at the ] in ], held May 28–31, 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 30, 2004 |title=Libertarians Pick Their Nominee |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5100095 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921110723/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5100095 |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=February 24, 2024 |website=] |language=en}}</ref>
* ''']&nbsp;/&nbsp;]''', ] (]). Cobb was nominated on the second ballot at the ] in ], held June 23–28, 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 7, 2004 |title=Green Party Deals Nader a Blow |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/green-party-deals-nader-a-blow/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224061028/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/green-party-deals-nader-a-blow/ |archive-date=February 24, 2024 |access-date=February 24, 2024 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref>
* ''']&nbsp;/&nbsp;]''', ] (also ], ] (DE), Populist Party (MD), Better Life Party, Cross-endorsements N.Y., Peace and Justice Party, Independence Parties of ] and South Carolina, and the Vermont Green Party who chose not to ratify the national party's presidential nominee).<ref name="FEC 2013">{{Cite web |year=2005 |title=Federal Elections 2004 |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections2004.pdf#page=11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902024923/https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections2004.pdf#page=11 |archive-date=September 2, 2021 |access-date=February 24, 2024 |website=Federal Election Commission |location=]}}</ref>
* ''']&nbsp;/&nbsp;]''', ] (also ]).&nbsp; Peroutka and Baldwin were unanimously nominated at the ] at ] (June 23–26, 2004).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Third Parties |url=https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/candidates/third.parties.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921110624/https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/candidates/third.parties.html |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=February 24, 2024 |website=]}}</ref>


== Issues unique to the election ==
The dismal results caused Gephardt to drop out and later endorse Kerry. What further hurt Dean was a speech he gave at a post-caucus rally. Dean was shouting over the cheers of his enthusiastic audience, but the crowd noise was being filtered out by his ], leaving only his full-throated exhortations audible to the television viewers. To those at home, he seemed to raise his voice out of sheer emotion.
=== Electronic voting machines ===
The incessant replaying of the ] by the press became a debate on the topic of whether Dean was the victim of ]. The scream scene was shown an estimated 633 times by cable and broadcast news networks in just four days following the incident, a number that does not include talk shows and local news broadcasts.<ref>Loyola Phoenix, , 2/11/04. Retrieved November 27, 2006</ref> However, those who were in the actual audience that day insist that they were not aware of the infamous "scream" until they returned to their hotel rooms and saw it on TV.<ref name="CBS040126">{{cite news |first=Eric |last=Salzman |publisher=] |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/26/politics/main596021.shtml |title=Dean's Scream: Not What It Seemed |date=January 26, 2004 |accessdate=2006-11-27}}</ref>
Ahead of the 2004 election, some states implemented ] systems. Critics raised several issues about voting machines, particularly those made by ]. Cybersecurity professionals found security vulnerabilities in Diebold machines.<ref name="Warner">{{Cite web |last=Warner |first=Melanie |date=November 9, 2003 |title=Machine Poliics in the Digital Age |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/09/business/machine-politics-in-the-digital-age.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111192546/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/09/business/machine-politics-in-the-digital-age.html |archive-date=November 11, 2010 |access-date=February 13, 2009 |website=]}}</ref> Voting machines made by several companies were also criticized for their lack of a ], which would have made results easier to verify.<ref name="Warner" /> Democrats also criticized various executives at ] (the parent company of Diebold Election Systems) for their support of Bush's campaign, stating that it constituted a ].<ref name="Warner" /> Following these issues, ] banned the use of Diebold's AccuVote TSX voting machines for elections in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schwartz |first=John |date=May 1, 2004 |title=High-Tech Voting System Is Banned in California |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/01/us/high-tech-voting-system-is-banned-in-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921110730/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/01/us/high-tech-voting-system-is-banned-in-california.html |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=February 6, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>


=== Campaign law changes ===
Kerry, on the other hand, had revived his campaign and began using the slogan "Comeback Kerry."
The 2004 election was the first to be affected by the ]s mandated by the ] of 2002. The act created restrictions on fundraising by political parties and candidates. A large number of independent ]s were created to bypass these restrictions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Justice |first=Glen |date=February 19, 2004 |title=The 2004 Campaign: Fund-Raising; Advocacy Groups Win Fund Ruling |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/19/us/the-2004-campaign-fund-raising-advocacy-groups-win-fund-ruling.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921110731/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/19/us/the-2004-campaign-fund-raising-advocacy-groups-win-fund-ruling.html |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=February 6, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Named for a section of the ], these groups were able to raise large amounts of money for various political causes as long as they did not coordinate their activities with political campaigns. Examples of 527s include ], ], the ], and ]. These groups were active throughout the campaign season, spending a record $556 million for all elections in 2004.<ref name=":3" />


The ] of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act required political advertisements on television to include a verbal disclaimer identifying the organization or campaign responsible for the advertisement. This provision was intended to force campaigns to take responsibility for ]vertisements.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Rutenberg |first=Jim |date=November 8, 2003 |title=Fine Print Is Given Full Voice in Campaign Ads |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/08/us/fine-print-is-given-full-voice-in-campaign-ads.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240206061823/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/08/us/fine-print-is-given-full-voice-in-campaign-ads.html |archive-date=February 6, 2024 |access-date=February 6, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Campaign strategists criticized this requirement, stating that it would waste time and cause voters to be confused.<ref name=":4" />
====New Hampshire primary====
On January 27, Kerry triumphed again, winning the ]. Dean finished second, Clark was third and Edwards placed fourth.


== General election campaign ==
====South Carolina primary====
]
The following week, John Edwards won the South Carolina primary and finished a strong second in ]. After Howard Dean's withdrawal from the contest, Edwards became the only major challenger to Kerry for the Democratic nomination. However, Kerry continued to dominate and his support quickly snowballed as he won caucuses and primaries, taking in a string of wins in ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], Hawaii, and ]. Clark and Lieberman dropped out during this time, leaving only Sharpton, Kucinich, and Edwards in the running against Kerry.


====Super Tuesday==== === Campaign issues ===
{{See also|Political positions of George W. Bush}}
In March's ], Kerry won decisive victories in the ], ], ], ], ], New York, ], and ] primaries and the ] caucuses. Dean, despite having withdrawn from the race two weeks earlier, won his home state of Vermont. Edwards finished only slightly behind Kerry in Georgia, but, failing to win a single state other than South Carolina, chose to withdraw from the presidential race.
Bush focused his campaign on national security, presenting himself as a decisive leader and contrasted Kerry as a "]." This strategy was designed to convey to American voters the idea that Bush could be trusted to be tough on terrorism while Kerry would be "uncertain in the face of danger."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Richard W. |date=February 24, 2004 |title=The 2004 Campaign: The President; Campaign Begins As Bush Attacks Kerry in Speech |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/24/us/the-2004-campaign-the-president-campaign-begins-as-bush-attacks-kerry-in-speech.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129043453/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/24/us/the-2004-campaign-the-president-campaign-begins-as-bush-attacks-kerry-in-speech.html |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> In the final months before the election, Kerry's campaign focused on domestic issues such as the economy and health care. Kerry's campaign managers believed that Kerry had an advantage on domestic issues.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Adam |date=October 3, 2004 |title=Domestic Issues Pushed to Front of Campaigns |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/03/politics/campaign/domestic-issues-pushed-to-front-of-campaigns.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921110624/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/03/politics/campaign/domestic-issues-pushed-to-front-of-campaigns.html |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=February 19, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Bush's campaign also focused on increasing ] among conservatives.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bumiller |first1=Elisabeth |last2=Halbfinger |first2=David M. |last3=Rosenbaum |first3=David E. |date=November 4, 2004 |title=Turnout Effort and Kerry, Too, Were G.O.P.'s Keys to Victory |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/politics/campaign/turnout-effort-and-kerry-too-were-gops-keys-to-victory.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815200454/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/politics/campaign/turnout-effort-and-kerry-too-were-gops-keys-to-victory.html |archive-date=August 15, 2024 |access-date=April 11, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> According to one exit poll, people who voted for Bush cited the issues of terrorism and traditional values as the most important factors in their decision.<ref name="Exitpoll">{{Cite web |title=Decision 2004 – Exit Poll |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5297138 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315215707/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5297138/ |archive-date=March 15, 2013 |access-date=June 5, 2008 |website=]}}</ref> Kerry supporters cited the war in Iraq, the economy and jobs, and health care.<ref name="Exitpoll" />


]
====Democratic National Convention====
On July 6, John Kerry selected John Edwards as his running mate, shortly before the ] in ], held later that month. Days before Kerry announced Edwards as his running mate, Kerry gave a short list of three candidates: Sen ], Rep ], and Gov ]. Heading into the convention, the Kerry/Edwards ticket unveiled their new slogan—a promise to make America "stronger at home and more respected in the world." Kerry made his ] experience the prominent theme of the convention. In accepting the nomination, he began his speech with, "I'm John Kerry and I'm reporting for duty." He later delivered what may have been the speech's most memorable line when he said, "the future doesn't belong to fear, it belongs to freedom," a quote that later appeared in a Kerry/Edwards television advertisement.


===Other nominations=== ==== Economy ====
{{see also|List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2004}} {{See also|Economic policy of the George W. Bush administration}}
] under the Bush administration with Bush's support. Kerry voted against these tax cuts.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Stevenson |first=Richard W. |date=March 21, 2004 |title=At Rally in Vital State, Bush Attacks Kerry on Economy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/21/us/at-rally-in-vital-state-bush-attacks-kerry-on-economy.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204201543/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/21/us/at-rally-in-vital-state-bush-attacks-kerry-on-economy.html |archive-date=February 4, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> During the 2004 campaign, Bush praised these tax cuts, stating that they helped to grow the economy.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=April 7, 2004 |title=Kerry Slams Bush over Deficit |url=https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/07/election.main/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204201543/https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/07/election.main/index.html |archive-date=February 4, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> On the other hand, Kerry attacked Bush for failing to create jobs under his presidency.<ref name="Neilan">{{Cite news |last=Neilan |first=Terence |date=September 15, 2004 |title=Kerry Sharply Criticizes Bush's Record on the Economy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/15/politics/campaign/kerry-sharply-criticizes-bushs-record-on-the-economy.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204201543/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/15/politics/campaign/kerry-sharply-criticizes-bushs-record-on-the-economy.html |archive-date=February 4, 2024 |access-date=February 4, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Kerry stated that he wanted to reduce the ] by capping government spending while ending various ]s for businesses.<ref name=":2" /> Kerry also supported tax credits for businesses that hire additional workers.<ref name="Neilan" /> Bush attacked Kerry for his economic proposals, stating that they would cause Americans to pay higher taxes. Bush also attacked Kerry for previously supporting tax raises, such as a proposed increase on the ].<ref name=":1" />
There were four other pairs of candidates who were on the ballot in states with enough electoral votes to have a theoretical chance of winning a majority in the ].
*]/], ] (also ], ], ], ], Cross-endorsements N.Y. , Peace and Justice Party ], Independence Party S.C.. Nader was also endorsed by the Vermont Green Party who chose not to ratify the national party’s presidential nominee.
*]/], ]
*]/], ] (also ])
*]/], ]


==== Foreign policy ====
==General election campaign==
{{See also|Foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration}}
===Campaign issues===
Bush defended the Iraq War, arguing that it was necessary to stop terrorism. He also said that the United States had made progress stopping terrorism in other nations.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Stevenson |first1=Richard W. |last2=Wilgoren |first2=Jodi |date=July 13, 2004 |title=The 2004 Campaign: The President; Bush Forcefully Defends War, Citing Safety of U.S. and World |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/us/2004-campaign-president-bush-forcefully-defends-war-citing-safety-us-world.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129043452/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/us/2004-campaign-president-bush-forcefully-defends-war-citing-safety-us-world.html |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> Bush attacked Kerry for opposing the Iraq War after voting to authorize it in 2002, characterizing the shift as one of many ] by Kerry.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Kerry Discusses $87 Billion Comment |url=https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/09/30/kerry.comment/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018154925/http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/09/30/kerry.comment/ |archive-date=October 18, 2020 |access-date=November 30, 2020 |website=]}}</ref> Kerry argued that Bush had misled the American public in pursuing the Iraq War, noting that no illegal weapons had been found in Iraq. He said that the Iraq War was a mistake<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Wilgoren |first1=Jodi |last2=Bumiller |first2=Elisabeth |date=September 21, 2004 |title=In Harshest Critique Yet, Kerry Attacks Bush over War in Iraq |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/21/politics/campaign/in-harshest-critique-yet-kerry-attacks-bush-over-war-in.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921110625/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/21/politics/campaign/in-harshest-critique-yet-kerry-attacks-bush-over-war-in.html |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> and a diversion from terrorism in other nations such as Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Toner |first=Robin |date=September 25, 2004 |title=Kerry Promises to Refocus U.S. on Terror War |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/25/politics/campaign/kerry-promises-to-refocus-us-on-terror-war.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129043452/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/25/politics/campaign/kerry-promises-to-refocus-us-on-terror-war.html |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> After the election, exit polls found that foreign policy concerns were the most important issues for voters.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Klinkner |first=Philip A. |date=2006 |title=Mr. Bush's War: Foreign Policy in the 2004 Election |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27552219 |journal=Presidential Studies Quarterly |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=281–296 |doi=10.1111/j.1741-5705.2006.00303.x |issn=0360-4918 |jstor=27552219 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131003231/https://www.jstor.org/stable/27552219 |archive-date=January 31, 2024 |access-date=January 31, 2024}}</ref>
Bush focused his campaign on national security, presenting himself as a decisive leader and contrasted Kerry as a "]." Bush's point was that Americans could trust him to be tough on terrorism while Kerry would be "uncertain in the face of danger." Bush also sought to portray Kerry as a "]" who was out of touch with mainstream Americans. One of Kerry's slogans was "Stronger at home, respected in the world." This advanced the suggestion that Kerry would pay more attention to domestic concerns; it also encapsulated Kerry's contention that Bush had alienated American allies by his foreign policy.


==== Health care ====
According to one exit poll, people who voted for Bush cited the issues of terrorism and moral values as the most important factors in their decision.<ref name="Exitpoll">{{cite web| title = "Decision 2004 - Exit poll" | publisher = ]| url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5297138/ | accessdate =2008-06-05 }}</ref> Kerry supporters cited the war in Iraq, the economy and jobs, and health care.<ref name="Exitpoll"/>
]s (HSAs) were introduced in 2004 as part of the ], signed by Bush in December 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fact Sheet: Guidance Released on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031222-1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131073548/https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031222-1.html |archive-date=January 31, 2024 |access-date=January 31, 2024 |website=georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov}}</ref> As part of his 2004 campaign, Bush supported the expansion of HSAs. He proposed tax cuts to help Americans purchase their own health insurance. He also proposed a plan that would allow small businesses to purchase health insurance in large groups. Kerry's health care proposals included government subsidies for businesses that provide health insurance and the expansion of government-run health care programs.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Stevenson |first1=Richard W. |last2=Toner |first2=Robin |date=September 17, 2004 |title=Bush Says Kerry Is Pushing Nationalized Health Care |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/17/politics/campaign/bush-says-kerry-is-pushing-nationalized-health-care.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131073546/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/17/politics/campaign/bush-says-kerry-is-pushing-nationalized-health-care.html |archive-date=January 31, 2024 |access-date=January 31, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Health policy experts stated that Bush's proposals would have a more limited impact than Kerry's proposals.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Toner |first=Robin |date=May 14, 2004 |title=The 2004 Campaign: Political Memo; Biggest Divide? Maybe It's Health Care |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/14/us/the-2004-campaign-political-memo-biggest-divide-maybe-it-s-health-care.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131074652/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/14/us/the-2004-campaign-political-memo-biggest-divide-maybe-it-s-health-care.html |archive-date=January 31, 2024 |access-date=January 31, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Connolly |first=Ceci |date=August 22, 2004 |title=Bush Health Care Plan Seems to Fall Short |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21929-2004Aug21.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115061154/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21929-2004Aug21.html |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |access-date=January 31, 2024 |newspaper=]}}</ref> Kerry also attacked Bush for his policy on ]. In 2001, the Bush administration restricted embryonic stem cell research to existing ]. Kerry stated that this restriction was a barrier to conducting important research.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=June 21, 2004 |title=Kerry Voices Support for Stem Cell Funding |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/06/22/kerry-voices-support-for-stem-cell-funding/3c2583f1-21d2-4235-b22f-e08c7967e1be/ |access-date=February 23, 2024 |newspaper=]}}</ref>


==== Same-sex marriage ====
]
In July 2004, Bush announced his support for ] to ban ], shortly before the Senate voted on the amendment. Although Kerry stated that he opposed same-sex marriage, he also opposed the amendment, saying that the legality of same-sex marriage should be decided by individual states.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Nagourney |first1=Adam |last2=Kirkpatrick |first2=David D. |date=July 12, 2004 |title=The 2004 Campaign: Same-Sex Marriage; Urged by Right, Bush Takes on Gay Marriages |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/12/us/the-2004-campaign-same-sex-marriage-urged-by-right-bush-takes-on-gay-marriages.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921110625/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/12/us/the-2004-campaign-same-sex-marriage-urged-by-right-bush-takes-on-gay-marriages.html |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |website=]}}</ref> The Senate vote failed on July 14.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 15, 2004 |title=Same-Sex Marriage Senate Battle Over, War Is Not |url=https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/14/samesex.marriage/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129045110/https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/14/samesex.marriage/index.html |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=] |location=]}}</ref>
Over the course of Bush's first term in office, his extremely high approval ratings immediately following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks steadily dwindled, peaking only during combat operations in Iraq in the Spring of 2003, and again following the capture of ] in December the same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hist.umn.edu/~ruggles/Approval.htm |title=Historical Bush Approval Ratings |publisher=Hist.umn.edu |date= |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> Kerry supporters attempted to capitalize on the dwindling popularity to rally anti-war sentiment.


=== Controversies ===
In March 2004, the Bush/Cheney campaign was criticized by ]. The organization took offense to a campaign ad, which showed a man who was possibly Middle Eastern in a negative light. 2004 Racism Watch issued a press release calling on the campaign to pull the ad, calling it disturbing and offensive.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/0331-04.htm| publisher=Common Dreams | title=2004 Racism Watch Calls On Bush-Cheney Campaign to Change or Pull Offensive Ad | accessdate=2008-10-04}}</ref>


==== Bush military service controversy ====
During August and September 2004, there was an intense focus on events that occurred in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Bush was accused of ] in the ].<ref>{{cite news | title=Bush fell short on duty at Guard | date=September 8, 2004 | url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/09/08/bush_fell_short_on_duty_at_guard/ | publisher=Boston Globe |accessdate=2007-06-16}}</ref> However, the focus quickly shifted to the conduct of ] after they aired a segment on ''60 Minutes Wednesday'' introducing what became known as the ].<ref>{{cite news | title=CBS ''60 Minutes Wednesday'' transcript |date=September 8, 2004 | url=http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/complete_report/1B.pdf | accessdate=2007-06-16 | publisher=Thornburgh-Boccardi Report, Exhibit 1B |format=PDF}}</ref> Serious doubts about the ] quickly emerged,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9967-2004Sep9.html |title=Some Question Authenticity of Papers on Bush|author=Michael Dobbs and Mike Allen|work=Washington Post|date=September 9, 2004 |accessdate=2007-06-16}}</ref> leading CBS to appoint a review panel that eventually resulted in the firing of the news producer and other significant staffing changes.<ref>{{cite web | title= Thornburgh-Boccardi report | url=http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/complete_report/CBS_Report.pdf | accessdate=2007-06-16 | publisher=CBS News |format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title= Final Figure in '60 Minutes' Scandal Resigns|date=March 25, 2005|publisher=The Associated Press | url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,151180,00.html | accessdate=2007-06-16}}</ref>
{{Main|George W. Bush military service controversy}}
During the campaign, Bush was accused of failing to fulfill his required service in the ].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Robinson |first=Walter V. |date=September 8, 2004 |title=Bush Fell Short on Duty at Guard |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/09/08/bush_fell_short_on_duty_at_guard/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705171042/http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/09/08/bush_fell_short_on_duty_at_guard/ |archive-date=July 5, 2007 |access-date=June 16, 2007 |work=]}}</ref> A scandal occurred at ] after they aired a segment on ''60 Minutes Wednesday'', introducing what became known as the ]. These documents were allegedly written by Jerry B. Killian, Bush's squadron commander, and they contained various allegations about Bush's service.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 8, 2004 |title=CBS ''60 Minutes Wednesday'' Transcript |url=http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/complete_report/1B.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070616133623/http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/complete_report/1B.pdf |archive-date=June 16, 2007 |access-date=June 16, 2007 |publisher=Thornburgh-Boccardi Report, Exhibit 1B}}</ref> Serious doubts about the ] quickly emerged,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Michael Dobbs and Mike Allen |date=September 9, 2004 |title=Some Question Authenticity of Papers on Bush |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9967-2004Sep9.html |access-date=June 16, 2007 |newspaper=]}}</ref> leading CBS to appoint a review panel that eventually resulted in the firing of the news producer and other significant staffing changes.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Thornburgh-Boccardi Report |url=http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/complete_report/CBS_Report.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615103920/http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/complete_report/CBS_Report.pdf |archive-date=June 15, 2007 |access-date=June 16, 2007 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=March 25, 2005 |title=Final Figure in '60 Minutes' Scandal Resigns |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/final-figure-in-60-minutes-scandal-resigns |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070530181840/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,151180,00.html |archive-date=May 30, 2007 |access-date=June 16, 2007 |work=] |agency=]}}</ref> The Killian documents were eventually concluded to be forgeries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zeller |first=Tom |date=May 23, 2005 |title=In Blogs, Smoking Guns Provide Ammunition |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/23/technology/in-blogs-smoking-guns-provide-ammunition.html |access-date=February 4, 2024 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref>


==== Kerry military service controversy ====
Meanwhile, Kerry was accused by the ], who averred that "phony ] charges, his exaggerated claims about his own service in Vietnam, and his deliberate misrepresentation of the nature and effectiveness of Swift boat operations compels us to step forward." The group challenged the legitimacy of each of the combat medals awarded to Kerry by the ], and the disposition of his discharge.
{{Main|John Kerry military service controversy}}
Kerry was accused by the ] of distorting his military service in Vietnam.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Election of 2004 |url=http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1384.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116025032/http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1384.html |archive-date=November 16, 2017 |access-date=November 15, 2017}}</ref> The group challenged the legitimacy of each of the combat medals awarded to Kerry by the ], and the disposition of his discharge. The organization spent $22.4 million in advertisements against Kerry. After the election, political analysts described their advertising campaign as effective.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Janofsky |first=Michael |date=December 17, 2004 |title=Advocacy Groups Spent Record Amount on 2004 Election |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/politics/advocacy-groups-spent-record-amount-on-2004-election.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240206054053/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/politics/advocacy-groups-spent-record-amount-on-2004-election.html |archive-date=February 6, 2024 |access-date=February 6, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The term ] was used during the campaign to describe the organization's negative advertising, which Democrats saw as unfair. It was also used after the campaign to generally describe a harsh attack by a political opponent that is dishonest, personal and unfair.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 14, 2011 |title=Glossary: US Elections |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-15730790 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218073111/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-15730790 |archive-date=February 18, 2024 |access-date=February 18, 2024 |work=] |language=en-GB}}</ref>


=== Presidential debates ===
In the beginning of September, the successful Republican National Convention along with the allegations by Kerry's former mates gave Bush his first comfortable margin since Kerry had won the nomination. A post-convention Gallup poll showed the President leading the Senator by 14 points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Presidential_04/chart3way.html |title=RealClear Politics - Polls |publisher=Realclearpolitics.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/bush_vs_kerry.html |title=RealClear Politics - Polls |publisher=Realclearpolitics.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref>
]
{{Main|2004 United States presidential debates}}Three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate were organized by the ], and held in the autumn of 2004.
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Debates among candidates for the 2004 U.S. presidential election'''
!No.
!Date
!Host
!City
!Moderators
!Participants
!Viewship
(Millions)
|-
|P1
|Thursday, September 30, 2004
|]
|]
|]
|]<br/>]
|62.4<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=CPD: 2004 Debates |url=https://www.debates.org/index.php?page=2004-debates |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108145509/https://www.debates.org/index.php?page=2004-debates |archive-date=January 8, 2019 |access-date=January 8, 2019 |website=Debates.org}}</ref>
|-
|VP
|Tuesday, October 5, 2004
|]
|]
|]
|]<br/>]
|43.5<ref name=":0" />
|-
|P2
|Friday, October 8, 2004
|]
|]
|]
|]<br/>]
|46.7<ref name=":0" />
|-
|P3
|Wednesday, October 13, 2004
|]
|]
|]
|]<br/>]
|51.1
|}
* {{Location map+|USA|places={{Location map~ | USA
| label = '''University of Miami<br />Coral Gables,&nbsp;FL'''
| label_size = 50
| position = top
| lat_deg = 25.7192
| lon_deg = -80.2771
}}
{{Location map~ | USA
| label = '''Case Western Reserve University<br />Cleveland,&nbsp;OH'''
| label_size = 65
| position = right
| lat_deg = 41.5043
| lon_deg = -81.6084
}}
{{Location map~ | USA
| label = '''Washington University in St. Louis<br />St.&nbsp;Louis,&nbsp;MO'''
| label_size = 65
| position = top
| lat_deg = 38.648
| lon_deg = -90.305
}}
{{Location map~ | USA
| label = '''Arizona State University<br />Tempe,&nbsp;AZ'''
| label_size = 65
| position = top
| lat_deg = 33.4242
| lon_deg = -111.9281
}}|alt=Map of United States showing debate locations|caption=Sites of the 2004 general election debates|width=250}}The first debate was held on September 30, slated to focus on foreign policy. A consensus formed among mainstream pollsters and pundits that Kerry won the debate decisively, strengthening what had come to be seen as a weak and troubled campaign.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 4, 2004 |title=Poll: Kerry Wins Debate, Pulls Even |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6159637/site/newsweek/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910231251/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6159637/site/newsweek/ |archive-date=September 10, 2007 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |publisher=msnbc.com}}</ref>
* On October 5, the vice presidential debate between Cheney and Edwards. An initial poll by ] indicated a victory for Cheney, while polls by ] and ] gave it to Edwards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 6, 2004 |title=Dick Cheney Debate with John Edwards Polls Give It to Edwards |url=http://www.s5000.com/what_the_huck/589/cheney_edwards.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928094213/http://www.s5000.com/what_the_huck/589/cheney_edwards.php |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |access-date=May 24, 2010 |publisher=s5000.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 6, 2004 |title=US Running Mates Clash over Iraq |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3716852.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060314161402/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3716852.stm |archive-date=March 14, 2006 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sandalow |first=Marc |date=October 5, 2004 |title=Edwards-Cheney Debate: Wide Audience Expected: Tight Race Makes VP Matchup More Compelling |url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/10/05/DEBATE.TMP |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041029185005/http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2004%2F10%2F05%2FDEBATE.TMP |archive-date=October 29, 2004 |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Langer |first1=Gary |last2=Sussman |first2=Dalia |date=October 6, 2004 |title=Cheney Gains with Help from His Friends |url=https://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/Vote2004/vp_debate_poll_041006.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010233735/http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/Vote2004/vp_debate_poll_041006.html |archive-date=October 10, 2008 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |work=]}}</ref>
* The second presidential debate was conducted in a town meeting format, less formal than the first presidential debate. This debate saw Bush and Kerry taking questions on a variety of subjects from a local audience.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 9, 2004 |title=US Debate: What the Commentators Said |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3729206.stm |access-date=November 3, 2008 |work=]}}</ref>
* Bush and Kerry met for the third and final debate on October 13.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 14, 2004 |title=Transcript & Video: Third Debate – You Decide 2004 |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,135380,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407090723/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,135380,00.html |archive-date=April 7, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |work=] }}</ref> 51 million viewers watched the debate. After Kerry, responding to a question about gay rights, reminded the audience that ] was a ], Cheney responded with a statement calling himself "a pretty angry father" due to Kerry using Cheney's daughter's sexual orientation for his political purposes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vanden Brook |first=Tom |date=October 14, 2004 |title=Kerry Lesbian Remark Angers Cheneys |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-10-14-lynne-cheney_x.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009063603/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-10-14-lynne-cheney_x.htm |archive-date=October 9, 2012 |access-date=October 5, 2012 |website=]}}</ref> Polls taken by Gallup in found that Kerry pulled ahead in October, but showed a tight race as the election drew to a close.<ref name="galluptrials1">{{Cite web |date=September 24, 2008 |title=Gallup Presidential Election Trial-Heat Trends, 1936-2008 |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/110548/gallup-presidential-election-trialheat-trends-19362004.aspx#4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111165040/http://news.gallup.com/poll/110548/gallup-presidential-election-trialheat-trends-19362004.aspx#4 |archive-date=January 11, 2018 |access-date=January 11, 2018 |publisher=]}}</ref>


=== Osama bin Laden videotape ===
===Debates===
{{main|United States presidential election debates, 2004}} {{main|2004 Osama bin Laden video}}
On October 29, four days before the election, excerpts of a video of ] addressing the American people were broadcast on ]. In his remarks, bin Laden mentions the ], and taunted Bush over his response to them. In the days following the video's release, Bush's lead over Kerry increased by several points.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sherwell |first=Philip |date=October 31, 2004 |title=Bush Takes a Six-Point Lead After New Bin Laden Tape |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1475515/Bush-takes-a-six-point-lead-after-new-bin-Laden-tape.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206183353/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1475515/Bush-takes-a-six-point-lead-after-new-bin-Laden-tape.html |archive-date=December 6, 2008 |access-date=October 5, 2012 |work=] |location=]}}</ref>
Three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate were organized by the ], and held in the autumn of 2004. As expected, these debates set the agenda for the final leg of the political contest. Libertarian Party candidate Michael Badnarik and Green Party candidate David Cobb were arrested while trying to access the debates. Badnarik was attempting to serve papers to the Commission on Presidential Debates.


=== Electoral College forecasts ===
The first debate was held on September 30 at the ], moderated by ] of ]. During the debate, slated to focus on foreign policy, Kerry accused Bush of having failed to gain international support for the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, saying the only countries assisting the USA during the invasion were the ] and ]. Bush replied to this by saying, "]" (in an ironic turn of events, Poland announced plans to withdraw its troops from Iraq shortly after the debate). Later, a consensus formed among mainstream pollsters and pundits that Kerry won the debate decisively, strengthening what had come to be seen as a weak and troubled campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6159637/site/newsweek/ |title=Poll: Kerry Wins Debate, Pulls Even - Newsweek Campaign 2004 - MSNBC.com |publisher=Msnbc.msn.com |date=October 4, 2004 |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> In the days after, coverage focused on Bush's apparent annoyance with Kerry and numerous scowls and negative facial expressions.
Elections analysts and political pundits issue probabilistic forecasts of the composition of the Electoral College. These forecasts use a variety of factors to estimate the likelihood of each candidate winning the Electoral College electors for that state. Most election predictors use the following ratings:
On October 5, the Vice Presidential debate was held between ] and ] at ] in ], and was moderated by ] of ]. An initial poll by ] indicated a victory for Cheney, while polls by ] and ] gave it to Edwards.<ref>http://www.s5000.com/what_the_huck/589/cheney_edwards.php</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3716852.stm |title=US running mates clash over Iraq |publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref><ref> October 5, 2004</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/Vote2004/vp_debate_poll_041006.html |title=ABCNEWS.com: Poll: More Viewers Say Cheney Won Debate |publisher=Abcnews.go.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref>
* "<u>tossup</u>": no advantage
* "<u>tilt</u>" (used by some predictors): advantage that is not quite as strong as "lean"
* "<u>lean</u>" or "<u>leans</u>": slight advantage
* "<u>likely</u>": significant, but surmountable, advantage
* "<u>safe</u>" or "<u>solid</u>": near-certain chance of victory


Below is a list of states considered by one or more forecast to be competitive; states that are deemed to be "safe" or "solid" by forecasters '']'', '']'', and ].
The second presidential debate was held at ] in ] on October 8, moderated by ] of ]. Conducted in a "town meeting" format, less formal than the first Presidential debate, this debate saw Bush and Kerry taking questions on a variety of subjects from a local audience.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3729206.stm |title=US debate: What the commentators said |publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> Bush attempted to deflect criticism of what was described as his scowling demeanor during the first debate, joking at one point about one of Kerry's remarks, "That answer made me want to scowl."<ref>http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-deb09.html</ref>


{{sticky header}}
Bush and Kerry met for the third and final debate at ] on October 13.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,135380,00.html |title=FOXNews.com - Transcript & Video: Third Debate - You Decide 2004 |publisher=Foxnews.com |date=October 14, 2004 |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> 51 million viewers watched the debate which was moderated by ] of ] News. However, at the time of the ASU debate, there were 15.2 million viewers tuned in to watch the ] playoffs broadcast simultaneously.
{| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" style="font-size:95%;
|- style="vertical-align:bottom"
! State
! {{Tooltip|EVs|Electoral votes}}

! ]<br />{{small|November 2,<br />2004}}<ref name="dcpoliticalreport.com">{{Cite web |title=DC Political Report |url=http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/members/2004/Pred2.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121204958/http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/members/2004/Pred2.htm |archive-date=November 21, 2010 |website=DCPoliticalReport.com}}</ref>

!]<br />{{small|November 2,<br />2004}}<ref name="dcpoliticalreport.com" />

!]<br />{{small|November 2,<br />2004}}<ref name="dcpoliticalreport.com" />

|-
! ]
| align=center|6
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|R}}
<!--Cook--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|R}}
<!--NYT--> | {{USRaceRating|Lean|R}}
|-
! ]
| align=center|10
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| align=center|3
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|-
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| align=center|27
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<!--NYT--> | {{USRaceRating|Tossup}}
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! ]
| align=center|7
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|R|flip}}
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| align=center|11
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| align=center|10
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|D}}
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| align=center|3
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|D|flip}}
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| align=center|11
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| align=center|11
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! ]
| align=center|5
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Lean|R|flip}}
<!--Cook--> | {{USRaceRating|Tossup}}
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| align=center|15
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|R}}
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! ]
| align=center|20
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Lean|D|flip}}
<!--Cook--> | {{USRaceRating|Tossup}}
<!--NYT--> | {{USRaceRating|Tossup}}
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! ]
| align=center|21
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|D}}
<!--Cook--> | {{USRaceRating|Tossup}}
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! ]
| align=center|7
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|D}}
<!--Cook--> | {{USRaceRating|Lean|D}}
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| align=center|11
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|R}}
<!--Cook--> | {{USRaceRating|Lean|R}}
<!--NYT--> | {{USRaceRating|Safe|R}}
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! ]
| align=center|10
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|R|flip}}
<!--Cook--> | {{USRaceRating|Tossup}}
<!--NYT--> | {{USRaceRating|Tossup}}
|-
! ]
| align=center|5
<!--CNN--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|R}}
<!--Cook--> | {{USRaceRating|Lean|R}}
<!--NYT--> | {{USRaceRating|Likely|R}}
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| align=center|13
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|}

== Timeline ==
{{Main|Timeline of the 2004 United States presidential election}}

== Results{{anchor|Election results}} ==


==Election results==
===Grand total===
{{start U.S. presidential ticket box| pv_footnote=| ev_footnote=}} {{start U.S. presidential ticket box| pv_footnote=| ev_footnote=}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=62,040,610| pv_pct=50.74%| ev=286| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=] (incumbent)| party=''']'''| state=''']'''| pv='''62,040,610'''| pv_pct='''50.73%'''| ev='''286'''| vp_name=] (incumbent)| vp_state=''']'''}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=59,028,444| pv_pct=48.27%| ev=251| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=59,028,444| pv_pct=48.27%| ev=251| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]<sup>(a)</sup>| party=]| state=]| pv=10,834| pv_pct=0.01%| ev=1| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name="John Ewards"<sup>(a)</sup>| party=]| state=]| pv=0| pv_pct=0.00%| ev=1| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=—| state=]| pv=465,650| pv_pct=0.38%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=465,650| pv_pct=0.38%| ev=0| vp_name=]<sup>(b)</sup>| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=397,265| pv_pct=0.32%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=397,265| pv_pct=0.32%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=143,630| pv_pct=0.12%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]| }} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=143,630| pv_pct=0.12%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=119,859| pv_pct=0.10%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]| }} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=119,859| pv_pct=0.10%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=27,607| pv_pct=0.02%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=27,607| pv_pct=0.02%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=10,837| pv_pct=0.01%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=10,837| pv_pct=0.01%| ev=0| vp_name=]| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]<sup>(b)</sup>| party=]| state=]| pv=10,800| pv_pct=0.01%| ev=0| vp_name=]<sup>(b)</sup>| vp_state=]}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]<sup>(c)</sup>| party=]| state=]| pv=3,689| pv_pct=0.01%| ev=0| vp_name=]<sup>(c)</sup>| vp_state=]}}
{{end U.S. presidential ticket box| pv=122,267,553| ev=538| to_win=270}} {{U.S. presidential ticket box row| name=]| party=]| state=]| pv=2,387| pv_pct=0.002%| ev=0| vp_name=Jennifer Ryan| vp_state=]}}
{{U.S. presidential ticket box other| pv=50,652| pv_pct=0.04%}}
'''Source (Electoral and Popular Vote):
{{end U.S. presidential ticket box| pv=122,295,345| ev=538| to_win=270}}


'''Source (Electoral and Popular Vote):'''
<sup>(a)</sup> ''One ] from ] cast an electoral vote for John Edwards for president. <br />
'''Voting age population:''' 215,664,000
<sup>(b)</sup> ''Because ], then aged 28, was ] ineligible to serve as vice president, ] replaced her on the ballot in some states. ] replaced Calero on certain other states' ballots.''


'''Percent of voting age population casting a vote for president:''' 56.70%
===Results by state===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
<sup>(a)</sup> ''One ] from ] cast an electoral vote for John Edwards (written as John Ewards) for president.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=MPR: Minnesota elector gives Edwards a vote; Kerry gets other nine |url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/12/13_ap_electors/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101213450/http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/12/13_ap_electors/ |archive-date=January 1, 2010 |access-date=May 5, 2009 |publisher=News.minnesota.publicradio.org}}</ref><br />
<sup>(b)</sup> ''In Montana, Karen Sanchirico was listed on the ballot as Nader's running mate, not Camejo. In Alabama, Jan D. Pierce was Nader's running mate. In New York, Nader appeared on two distinct tickets, one with Camejo and one with Pierce.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 Presidential Election by State |url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G04/President-Details.phtml?n=NADER,RALPH |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060212022429/http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G04/President-Details.phtml?n=NADER,RALPH |archive-date=February 12, 2006 |website=The Green Papers}}</ref>''<br />
<sup>(c)</sup> ''Because ], then aged 28, was ] ineligible to serve as vice president, ] replaced her on the ballot in some states. ] replaced Calero on certain other states' ballots.''

{{bar box
| title = Popular vote
| titlebar = #ddd
| width = 600px
| barwidth = 410px
| bars =
{{bar percent|'''Bush'''|{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}|50.73}}
{{bar percent|Kerry|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|48.27}}
{{bar percent|Nader|{{party color|Reform Party (United States)}}|0.38}}
{{bar percent|Badnarik|{{party color|Libertarian Party (US)}}|0.32}}
{{bar percent|Peroutka|{{party color|Constitution Party (US)}}|0.12}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|0.17}}
}}
{{bar box
| title = Electoral vote
| titlebar = #ddd
| width = 600px
| barwidth = 410px
| bars =
{{bar percent|'''Bush'''|{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}|53.16}}
{{bar percent|Kerry|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|46.65}}
{{bar percent|Edwards|{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}|0.19}}
}}

=== Results by state ===
Of the 3,154 counties/districts/independent cities making returns, Bush won the most popular votes in 2,568 (81.42%) while Kerry carried 586 (18.58%). The following table records the official vote tallies for each state as reported by the . The column labeled "Margin" shows Bush's margin of victory over Kerry (the margin is negative for states and districts won by Kerry).

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;line-height:1.2"
|+ Legend
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|colspan=2|States/districts won by ]/]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|colspan=2|States/districts won by ]/]
|-
| † || At-large results (for states that split electoral votes)
|}
<div style="overflow:auto">
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;font-size:90%;line-height:1.2"
|-
! colspan=2 |
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"| George W. Bush<br />Republican
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"| John Kerry<br />Democratic
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"| Ralph Nader<br />Independent / Reform
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"| Michael Badnarik<br />Libertarian
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"| Michael Peroutka<br />Constitution
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"| David Cobb<br />Green
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"| Others
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Margin
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="1"|Margin<br />Swing{{Efn|Percentage point difference in margin from the ]}}
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| State Total
|- |-
! align=center | State
!State!!]!!]!!]!!]!!]!!]!!Others
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|EV|electoral votes}}
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|EV|electoral votes}}
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|EV|electoral votes}}
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|EV|electoral votes}}
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|EV|electoral votes}}
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|EV|electoral votes}}
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|EV|electoral votes}}
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | {{abbr|EV|electoral votes}}
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort- type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number" | #
!
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;"|]||9||1,176,394||62.46%||9||693,933||36.84%||–||6,701||0.36%||–||3,529||0.19%||–||1,994||0.11%||–||0||0.00%||–||898||0.05%||–||482,461||25.62%||10.70%||1,883,449||AL
| align=right | 1,176,394
| align=right | 693,933
| align=right | 6,701
| align=right | 3,495
| align=right | 1,994
| align=center | -
|write-in 898
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;"|]||3||190,889||61.07%||3||111,025||35.52%||–||5,069||1.62%||–||1,675||0.54%||–||2,092||0.67%||–||1,058||0.34%||–||790||0.25%||–||79,864||25.55%||−5.40%||312,598||AK
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 190,889
|style="text-align:left;" |]||10||1,104,294||54.87%||10||893,524||44.40%||–||2,773||0.14%||–||11,856||0.59%||–||0||0.00%||–||138||0.01%||–||0||0.00%||–||210,770||10.47%||4.18%||2,012,585||AZ
| align=right | 111,025
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 5,069
|style="text-align:left;" |]||6||572,898||54.31%||6||469,953||44.55%||–||6,171||0.58%||–||2,352||0.22%||–||2,083||0.20%||–||1,488||0.14%||–||0||0.00%||–||102,945||9.76%||4.32%||1,054,945||AR
| align=right | 1,675
| align=right | 2,092
| align=right | 1,058
|write-in 790
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 1,104,294
| align=right | 893,524
| align=right | 2,773
| align=right | 11,856
| align=center | -
| align=right | 138
|
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 573,182
| align=right | 470,230
| align=right | 6,172
| align=right | 2,352
| align=right | 2,083
| align=right | 1,491
|
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||55||5,509,826||44.36%||–||6,745,485||54.30%||55||21,213||0.17%||–||50,165||0.40%||–||26,645||0.21%||–||40,771||0.33%||–||27,747||0.22%||–||−1,235,659||−9.94%||1.85%||12,421,852||CA
| align=right | 5,509,826
| align=right | 6,745,485
| align=right | 21,213
| align=right | 50,165
| align=right | 26,645
| align=right | 40,771
|] 27,607, miscellaneous 140
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||9||1,101,255||51.69%||9||1,001,732||47.02%||–||12,718||0.60%||–||7,664||0.36%||–||2,562||0.12%||–||1,591||0.07%||–||2,808||0.13%||–||99,523||4.67%||−3.69%||2,130,330||CO
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| align=right | 1,101,255
|style="text-align:left;"|]||7||693,826||43.95%||–||857,488||54.31%||7||12,969||0.82%||–||3,367||0.21%||–||1,543||0.10%||–||9,564||0.61%||–||12||0.00%||–||−163,662||−10.36%||7.10%||1,578,769||CT
| align=right | 1,001,732
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
| align=right | 12,718
|style="text-align:left;" |]||3||171,660||45.75%||–||200,152||53.35%||3||2,153||0.57%||–||586||0.16%||–||289||0.08%||–||250||0.07%||–||100||0.03%||–||−28,492||−7.60%||5.47%||375,190||DE
| align=right | 7,664
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| align=right | 2,562
|style="text-align:left;" |]||3||21,256||9.34%||–||202,970||89.18%||3||1,485||0.65%||–||502||0.22%||–||0||0.00%||–||737||0.32%||–||636||0.28%||–||−181,714||−79.84%||−3.64%||227,586||DC
| align=right | 1,591
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] 804, ] 378, ] 329, ] 241, ] 216, ] 140
|style="text-align:left;" |]||27||3,964,522||52.10%||27||3,583,544||47.09%||–||32,971||0.43%||–||11,996||0.16%||–||6,626||0.09%||–||3,917||0.05%||–||6,234||0.08%||–||380,978||5.01%||5.00%||7,609,810||FL
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 693,826
| align=right | 857,488
| align=right | 12,969
| align=right | 3,367
| align=right | 1,543
| align=right | 9,564
|] 12
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 171,660
| align=right | 200,152
| align=right | 2,153
| align=right | 586
| align=right | 289
| align=right | 250
|] 100
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 21,256
| align=right | 202,970
| align=right | 1,485
| align=right | 502
| align=center | -
| align=right | 737
|write-in 506, ] 130
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;"|]||15||1,914,254||57.97%||15||1,366,149||41.37%||–||2,231||0.07%||–||18,387||0.56%||–||580||0.02%||–||228||0.01%||–||46||0.00%||–||548,105||16.60%||4.91%||3,301,875||GA
|]
| align=right | 3,964,522
| align=right | 3,583,544
| align=right | 32,971
| align=right | 11,996
| align=right | 6,626
| align=right | 3,917
|] 3,502, ] 2,732
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 1,914,254
| align=right | 1,366,149
| align=right | 2,231
| align=right | 18,387
| align=right | 580
| align=right | 228
|] 26, ] 8, ] 7, ] 5
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||4||194,191||45.26%||–||231,708||54.01%||4||0||0.00%||–||1,377||0.32%||–||0||0.00%||–||1,737||0.40%||–||0||0.00%||–||−37,517||−8.75%||9.59%||429,013||HI
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 194,191
|style="text-align:left;" |]||4||409,235||68.38%||4||181,098||30.26%||–||1,115||0.19%||–||3,844||0.64%||–||3,084||0.52%||–||58||0.01%||–||13||0.00%||–||228,137||38.12%||−1.41%||598,447||ID
| align=right | 231,708
| align=center | -
| align=right | 1,377
| align=center | -
| align=right | 1,737
|
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 409,235
| align=right | 181,098
| align=right | 1,115
| align=right | 3,844
| align=right | 3,084
| align=right | 58
| align=center | -
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||21||2,345,946||44.48%||–||2,891,550||54.82%||21||3,571||0.07%||–||32,442||0.62%||–||440||0.01%||–||241||0.00%||–||132||0.00%||–||−545,604||−10.34%||1.67%||5,274,322||IL
| align=right | 2,346,608
| align=right | 2,891,989
| align=right | 3,571
| align=right | 32,452
| align=right | 440
| align=right | 241
|] 115, ] 4, ] 4, ] 3, ] 2, ] 1, ] 1, ] 1, ] 1
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;"|]||11||1,479,438||59.94%||11||969,011||39.26%||–||1,328||0.05%||–||18,058||0.73%||–||0||0.00%||–||102||0.00%||–||65||0.00%||–||510,427||20.68%||5.05%||2,468,002||IN
| align=right | 1,479,438
| align=right | 969,011
| align=right | 1,328
| align=right | 18,058
| align=center | -
| align=right | 102
|] 37, ] 22, ] 6
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||7||751,957||49.90%||7||741,898||49.23%||–||5,973||0.40%||–||2,992||0.20%||–||1,304||0.09%||–||1,141||0.08%||–||1,643||0.11%||–||10,059||0.67%||0.98%||1,506,908||IA
|]
| align=right | 751,957
| align=right | 741,898
| align=right | 5,973
| align=right | 2,992
| align=right | 1,304
| align=right | 1,141
|] 373, ] 176
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||6||736,456||62.00%||6||434,993||36.62%||–||9,348||0.79%||–||4,013||0.34%||–||2,899||0.24%||–||33||0.00%||–||14||0.00%||–||301,463||25.38%||4.58%||1,187,756||KS
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 736,456
|style="text-align:left;" |]||8||1,069,439||59.55%||8||712,733||39.69%||–||8,856||0.49%||–||2,619||0.15%||–||2,213||0.12%||–||0||0.00%||–||22||0.00%||–||356,706||19.86%||4.73%||1,795,882||KY
| align=right | 434,993
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 9,348
|style="text-align:left;" |]||9||1,102,169||56.72%||9||820,299||42.22%||–||7,032||0.36%||–||2,781||0.14%||–||5,203||0.27%||–||1,276||0.07%||–||4,346||0.22%||–||281,870||14.50%||6.83%||1,943,106||LA
| align=right | 4,013
| align=right | 2,899
| align=right | 33
|] 5, ] 5, ] 4
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 1,069,439
| align=right | 712,733
| align=right | 8,856
| align=right | 2,619
| align=right | 2,213
| align=center | -
|
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 1,102,169
| align=right | 820,299
| align=right | 7,032
| align=right | 2,781
| align=right | 5,203
| align=right | 1,276
|] 1,795, ] 985
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]<sup>†</sup>||2||330,201||44.58%||–||396,842||53.57%||2||8,069||1.09%||–||1,965||0.27%||–||735||0.10%||–||2,936||0.40%||–||4||0.00%||–||−66,641||−8.99%||−3.89%||740,752||ME
|]
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
| align=right | 330,201
|style="text-align:left;"|]
| align=right | 396,842
|''1''||''165,824''||''43.14%''||–||211,703||55.07%||1||''4,004''||''1.04%''||–||''1,047''||''0.27%''||–||''346''||''0.09%''||–||''1,468''||''0.38%''||–||–||–||–||''−45,879''||''−11.93%''||''−4.01%''||''384,392''||''ME1''
| align=right | 8,069
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
| align=right | 1,965
|style="text-align:left;"|]
| align=right | 735
|''1''||''164,377''||''46.13%''||–||185,139||51.95%||1||''4,065''||''1.14%''||–||''918''||''0.26%''||–||''389''||''0.11%''||–||''1,468''||''0.41%''||–||–||–||–||''−20,762''||''−5.83%''||''−3.96%''||''356,356''||''ME2''
| align=right | 2,936
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|write-in 4
|style="text-align:left;" |]||10||1,024,703||42.93%||–||1,334,493||55.91%||10||11,854||0.50%||–||6,094||0.26%||–||3,421||0.14%||–||3,632||0.15%||–||2,481||0.10%||–||−309,790||−12.98%||3.41%||2,386,678||MD
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|style="text-align:left;"|]||12||1,071,109||36.78%||–||1,803,800||61.94%||12||4,806||0.17%||–||15,022||0.52%||–||0||0.00%||–||10,623||0.36%||–||7,028||0.24%||–||−732,691||−25.16%||2.14%||2,912,388||MA
|]
| align=right | 1,024,703
| align=right | 1,334,493
| align=right | 11,854
| align=right | 6,094
| align=right | 3,421
| align=right | 3,632
|] 27, ] 7, ] senior 4, ] 2, ] II 1
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||17||2,313,746||47.81%||–||2,479,183||51.23%||17||24,035||0.50%||–||10,552||0.22%||–||4,980||0.10%||–||5,325||0.11%||–||1,431||0.03%||–||−165,437||−3.42%||1.71%||4,839,252||MI
|]
| align=right | 1,071,109
| align=right | 1,803,800
| align=right | 4,806
| align=right | 15,022
| align=center | -
| align=right | 10,623
| write-in 7,028
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||10||1,346,695||47.61%||–||1,445,014||51.09%||9||18,683||0.66%||–||4,639||0.16%||–||3,074||0.11%||–||4,408||0.16%||–||5,874||0.21%||–||−98,319||−3.48%||−1.08%||2,828,387||MN
|]
| align=right | 2,313,746
| align=right | 2,479,183
| align=right | 24,035
| align=right | 10,552
| align=right | 4,980
| align=right | 5,325
|] 1,431
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 1,346,695
| align=right | 1,445,014
| align=right | 18,683
| align=right | 4,639
| align=right | 3,074
| align=right | 4,408
|write-in 2,521, ] 2,387, ] 539, ] 416, ] 4, ] 2, ] 2, ] 2, ] 1
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||6||684,981||59.45%||6||458,094||39.76%||–||3,177||0.28%||–||1,793||0.16%||–||1,759||0.15%||–||1,073||0.09%||–||1,268||0.11%||–||226,887||19.69%||2.77%||1,152,145||MS
| align=right | 672,660
| align=right | 457,766
| align=right | 3,175
| align=right | 1,793
| align=right | 1,758
| align=right | 1,073
|] 1,599, write-in 215
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||11||1,455,713||53.30%||11||1,259,171||46.10%||–||1,294||0.05%||–||9,831||0.36%||–||5,355||0.20%||–||0||0.00%||–||0||0.00%||–||196,542||7.20%||3.86%||2,731,364||MO
| align=right | 1,455,713
| align=right | 1,259,171
| align=right | 1,294
| align=right | 9,831
| align=right | 5,355
| align=center | -
|
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||3||266,063||59.07%||3||173,710||38.56%||–||6,168||1.37%||–||1,733||0.38%||–||1,764||0.39%||–||996||0.22%||–||11||0.00%||–||92,353||20.51%||−4.57%||450,445||MT
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 266,063
|style="text-align:left;" |]<sup>†</sup>||2||512,814||65.90%||2||254,328||32.68%||–||5,698||0.73%||–||2,041||0.26%||–||1,314||0.17%||–||978||0.13%||–||1,013||0.13%||–||258,486||33.22%||4.23%||778,186||NE
| align=right | 173,710
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 6,168
|style="text-align:left;"|]
| align=right | 1,733
|''1''||169,888||62.97%||1||''96,314''||''35.70%''||–||''2,025''||''0.75%''||–||''656''||''0.24%''||–||''405''||''0.15%''||–||''453''||''0.17%''||–||''30''||''0.01%''||–||''73,574''||''27.27%''||''4.29%''||''269,771''||''NE1''
| align=right | 1,764
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 996
|style="text-align:left;"|]
|
|''1''||153,041||60.24%||1||''97,858''||''38.52%''||–||''1,731''||''0.68%''||–||''813''||''0.32%''||–||''305''||''0.12%''||–||''261''||''0.10%''||–||''23''||''0.01%''||–||''55,183''||''21.72%''||''3.32%''||''254,032''||''NE2''
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;"|]
|''1''||189,885||74.92%||1||''60,156''||''23.73%''||–||''1,942''||''0.77%''||–||''572''||''0.23%''||–||''604''||''0.24%''||–||''264''||''0.10%''||–||''29''||''0.01%''||–||''129,729''||''51.19%''||''4.77%''||''253,452''||''NE3''
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;"|]||5||418,690||50.47%||5||397,190||47.88%||–||4,838||0.58%||–||3,176||0.38%||–||1,152||0.14%||–||853||0.10%||–||3,688||0.44%||–||21,500||2.59%||−0.96%||829,587||NV
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||4||331,237||48.87%||–||340,511||50.24%||4||4,479||0.66%||–||372||0.05%||–||161||0.02%||–||0||0.00%||–||978||0.14%||–||−9,274||−1.37%||−2.64%||677,738||NH
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||15||1,670,003||46.24%||–||1,911,430||52.92%||15||19,418||0.54%||–||4,514||0.12%||–||2,750||0.08%||–||1,807||0.05%||–||1,769||0.05%||–||−241,427||−6.68%||9.15%||3,611,691||NJ
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;"|]||5||376,930||49.84%||5||370,942||49.05%||–||4,053||0.54%||–||2,382||0.31%||–||771||0.10%||–||1,226||0.16%||–||0||0.00%||–||5,988||0.79%||0.85%||756,304||NM
|]
| align=right | 512,814
| align=right | 254,328
| align=right | 5,698
| align=right | 2,041
| align=right | 1,314
| align=right | 978
|write-in 931, ] 82
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 418,690
| align=right | 397,190
| align=right | 4,838
| align=right | 3,176
| align=right | 1,152
| align=right | 853
|']' 3,688
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|style="text-align:left;"|]||31||2,962,567||40.08%||–||4,314,280||58.37%||31||99,873||1.35%||–||11,607||0.16%||–||207||0.00%||–||87||0.00%||–||2,415||0.03%||–||−1,351,713||−18.29%||6.69%||7,391,036||NY
|]
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 331,237
|style="text-align:left;" |]||15||1,961,166||56.02%||15||1,525,849||43.58%||–||1,805||0.05%||–||11,731||0.34%||–||0||0.00%||–||108||0.00%||–||348||0.01%||–||435,317||12.44%||−0.40%||3,501,007||NC
| align=right | 340,511
| align=right | 4,479
| align=right | 372
| align=right | 161
| align=center | -
|write-in 1,435
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 1,670,003
| align=right | 1,911,430
| align=right | 19,418
| align=right | 4,514
| align=right | 2,750
| align=right | 1,807
|] 664, ] 575, ] 530
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||3||196,651||62.86%||3||111,052||35.50%||–||3,756||1.20%||–||851||0.27%||–||514||0.16%||–||0||0.00%||–||9||0.00%||–||85,599||27.36%||−0.24%||312,833||ND
|]
| align=right | 376,930
| align=right | 370,942
| align=right | 4,053
| align=right | 2,382
| align=right | 771
| align=right | 1,226
|
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 2,962,567
| align=right | 4,314,280
| align=right | 99,873
| align=right | 11,607
| align=right | 207
| align=right | 87
|] 2,405, ] 4, ] 4, ] 2
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||20||2,859,768||50.81%||20||2,741,167||48.71%||–||0||0.00%||–||14,676||0.26%||–||11,939||0.21%||–||192||0.00%||–||166||0.00%||–||118,601||2.10%||−1.40%||5,627,908||OH
|]
| align=right | 1,961,166
| align=right | 1,525,849
| align=right | 1,805
| align=right | 11,731
| align=center | -
| align=right | 108
|] 348
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;"|]||7||959,792||65.57%||7||503,966||34.43%||–||0||0.00%||–||0||0.00%||–||0||0.00%||–||0||0.00%||–||0||0.00%||–||455,826||31.14%||9.26%||1,463,758||OK
|]
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| align=right | 196,651
|style="text-align:left;"|]||7||866,831||47.19%||–||943,163||51.35%||7||0||0.00%||–||7,260||0.40%||–||5,257||0.29%||–||5,315||0.29%||–||8,956||0.49%||–||−76,332||−4.16%||−3.72%||1,836,782||OR
| align=right | 111,052
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| align=right | 3,756
|style="text-align:left;" |]||21||2,793,847||48.42%||–||2,938,095||50.92%||21||2,656||0.05%||–||21,185||0.37%||–||6,318||0.11%||–||6,319||0.11%||–||1,170||0.02%||–||−144,248||−2.50%||1.67%||5,769,590||PA
| align=right | 851
| align=right | 514
| align=center | -
|] 9
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 2,858,727
| align=right | 2,739,952
| align=center | -
| align=right | 14,695
| align=right | 11,907
| align=right | 186
|] 114, ] 22, ] 16, ] 10, ] 2
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 959,792
| align=right | 503,966
| align=center | -
| align=center | -
| align=center | -
| align=center | -
|
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 866,831
| align=right | 943,163
| align=center | -
| align=right | 7,260
| align=right | 5,257
| align=right | 5,315
|miscellaneous 8,956
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 2,793,847
| align=right | 2,938,095
| align=right | 2,656
| align=right | 21,185
| align=right | 6,318
| align=right | 6,319
|
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||4||169,046||38.67%||–||259,765||59.42%||4||4,651||1.06%||–||907||0.21%||–||339||0.08%||–||1,333||0.30%||–||1,093||0.25%||–||−90,719||−20.75%||8.33%||437,134||RI
| align=right | 169,046
| align=right | 259,760
| align=right | 4,651
| align=right | 907
| align=right | 339
| align=right | 1,333
|write-in 845, ] 253
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||8||937,974||57.98%||8||661,699||40.90%||–||5,520||0.34%||–||3,608||0.22%||–||5,317||0.33%||–||1,488||0.09%||–||2,124||0.13%||–||276,275||17.08%||1.14%||1,617,730||SC
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 937,974
|style="text-align:left;" |]||3||232,584||59.91%||3||149,244||38.44%||–||4,320||1.11%||–||964||0.25%||–||1,103||0.28%||–||0||0.00%||–||0||0.00%||–||83,340||21.47%||−1.26%||388,215||SD
| align=right | 661,699
| align=right | 5,520
| align=right | 3,608
| align=right | 5,317
| align=right | 1,488
|] 2,124
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||11||1,384,375||56.80%||11||1,036,477||42.53%||–||8,992||0.37%||–||4,866||0.20%||–||2,570||0.11%||–||33||0.00%||–||6||0.00%||–||347,898||14.27%||10.41%||2,437,319||TN
|]
| align=right | 232,584
| align=right | 149,244
| align=right | 4,320
| align=right | 964
| align=right | 1,103
| align=center | -
|
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;" |]||34||4,526,917||61.09%||34||2,832,704||38.22%||–||9,159||0.12%||–||38,787||0.52%||–||1,636||0.02%||–||1,014||0.01%||–||548||0.01%||–||1,694,213||22.87%||1.54%||7,410,765||TX
|]
| align=right | 1,384,375
| align=right | 1,036,477
| align=right | 8,992
| align=right | 4,866
| align=right | 2,570
| align=right | 33
|] 6
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|style="text-align:left;"|]||5||663,742||71.54%||5||241,199||26.00%||–||11,305||1.22%||–||3,375||0.36%||–||6,841||0.74%||–||39||0.00%||–||1,343||0.14%||–||422,543||45.54%||5.05%||927,844||UT
|]
| align=right | 4,526,917
| align=right | 2,832,704
| align=right | 9,159
| align=right | 38,787
| align=right | 1,626
| align=right | 1,014
|] 219, ] 126, ] 111, ] 92
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 663,742
| align=right | 241,199
| align=right | 11,305
| align=right | 3,375
| align=right | 6,841
| align=right | 39
|] 946, ] 393, ] 2, ] 1, ] 1.
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|] |style="text-align:left;"|]||3||121,180||38.80%||–||184,067||58.94%||3||4,494||1.44%||–||1,102||0.35%||–||0||0.00%||–||0||0.00%||–||1,466||0.47%||–||−62,887||−20.14%||−10.20%||312,309||VT
| align=right | 121,180
| align=right | 184,067
| align=right | 4,494
| align=right | 1,102
| align=center | -
| align=center | -
|write-in 957, ] 265, ] 244
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;"|]||13||1,716,959||53.68%||13||1,454,742||45.48%||–||2,393||0.07%||–||11,032||0.34%||–||10,161||0.32%||–||104||0.00%||–||2,976||0.09%||–||262,217||8.20%||0.16%||3,198,367||VA
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| align=right | 1,716,959
|style="text-align:left;" |]||11||1,304,894||45.64%||–||1,510,201||52.82%||11||23,283||0.81%||–||11,955||0.42%||–||3,922||0.14%||–||2,974||0.10%||–||1,855||0.06%||–||−205,307||−7.18%||−1.60%||2,859,084||WA
| align=right | 1,454,742
| align=right | 2,393
| align=right | 11,032
| align=right | 10,161
| align=right | 104
|write-in 5,473
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|]
| align=right | 1,304,894
| align=right | 1,510,201
| align=right | 23,283
| align=right | 11,955
| align=right | 3,922
| align=right | 2,974
|] 1,077, ] 547, ] 231
|- {{Party shading/Republican}} |- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||5||423,778||56.06%||5||326,541||43.20%||–||4,063||0.54%||–||1,405||0.19%||–||82||0.01%||–||5||0.00%||–||13||0.00%||–||97,237||12.86%||6.54%||755,887||WV
| align=right | 423,778
| align=right | 326,541
| align=right | 4,063
| align=right | 1,405
| align=right | 82
| align=right | 5
|] 13
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}} |- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|] |style="text-align:left;" |]||10||1,478,120||49.32%||–||1,489,504||49.70%||10||16,390||0.55%||–||6,464||0.22%||–||0||0.00%||–||2,661||0.09%||–||3,868||0.13%||–||−11,384||−0.38%||−0.16%||2,997,007||WI
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| align=right | 1,478,120
|style="text-align:left;"|]||3||167,629||68.86%||3||70,776||29.07%||–||2,741||1.13%||–||1,171||0.48%||–||631||0.26%||–||0||0.00%||–||480||0.20%||–||96,853||39.79%||−0.27%||243,428||WY
| align=right | 1,489,504
|-
| align=right | 16,390
! U.S Total||538||62,040,610||50.73%||286||59,028,444||48.27%||251||465,151||0.38%||–||397,265||0.32%||–||143,630||0.12%||–||119,859||0.10%||–||99,887||0.08%||–||3,012,166||2.46%||2.98%||122,294,846||US
| align=right | 6,464
| align=center | -
| align=right | 2,661
|write-in 2,986, ] 471, ] 411
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|]
| align=right | 167,629
| align=right | 70,776
| align=right | 2,741
| align=right | 1,171
| align=right | 631
| align=center | -
|write-in 480
|} |}
</div>


Although ] has no votes in the Electoral College, they have held a straw poll for their presidential preferences since 1980. In 2004, the results were Bush 21,490 (64.1%), Kerry 11,781 (35.1%), Nader 196 (0.58%) and Badnarik 67 (0.2%).<ref name="guam">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ballot-access.org/2004/1212.html#12 |title=2004 Presidential Vote |publisher=Ballot-Access.org |date=2004-12-12 |accessdate=2008-09-17}}</ref> Although ] has no votes in the Electoral College, it has held a straw poll for its presidential preference since 1980. In 2004, the results were Bush 21,490 (64.1%), Kerry 11,781 (35.1%), Nader 196 (0.58%) and Badnarik 67 (0.2%).<ref name="guam">{{Cite web |date=December 12, 2004 |title=2004 Presidential Vote |url=http://www.ballot-access.org/2004/1212.html#12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418150714/http://www.ballot-access.org/2004/1212.html#12 |archive-date=April 18, 2010 |access-date=September 17, 2008 |publisher=Ballot-Access.org}}</ref> Maine and Nebraska each allowed for their electoral votes to be split between candidates. In both states, two electoral votes were awarded to the winner of the statewide race and one electoral vote was awarded to the winner of each congressional district.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 20, 2019 |title=Maine Certificate of Ascertaiment, 2004 Presidential Election |url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2004_certificates/ascertainment_maine_01.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721095337/https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2004_certificates/ascertainment_maine_01.html |archive-date=July 21, 2017 |access-date=September 17, 2017}}</ref><ref name="nebraska">{{Cite web |date=May 20, 2019 |title=Nebraska Certificate of Ascertainment, 2004 Presidential Election |url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2004_certificates/ascertainment_nebraska_01.html}}</ref>


====States that flipped Democratic to Republican====
===Notes on results===
*]
Because of a request by Ralph Nader, New Hampshire held a recount.
*]
In New York, Bush obtained 2,806,993 votes on the Republican ticket and 155,574 on the Conservative ticket. Kerry obtained 4,180,755 votes on the Democratic ticket and 133,525 votes on the Working Families ticket. Nader obtained 84,247 votes on the Independence ticket, and 15,626 votes on the Peace and Justice ticket.


====States that flipped Republican to Democratic====
'''''Note also:''''' , with the latest, most final, and complete vote totals available.
*]


===Finance=== === Close states ===
Red font color denotes those won by Republican President George W. Bush; blue denotes states won by Democrat John Kerry.
* ] (R) $367,227,801 / 62,040,610 = $5.92 per vote
* ] (D) $326,236,288 / 59,028,111 = $5.52
* ] (i) $4,566,037 / 463,653 = $9.85
* ] (L) $1,093,013 / 397,265 = $2.75
* ] (C) $729,087 / 144,498 = $5.05
* ] (G) $493,723 / 119,859 = $4.12
* ] (SPUSA) $2,060 / 10,837 = $0.19


States where margin of victory was under 1% (22 electoral votes):
*(money spent/total votes=average spent per vote)
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Wisconsin 0.38% (11,384 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''Iowa 0.67% (10,059 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''New Mexico 0.79% (5,988 votes)'''</span>


States where margin of victory was more than 1% but less than 5% (93 electoral votes):
Source: FEC<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/srssea.shtml |title=Search Campaign Finance Summary Data |publisher=Fec.gov |date= |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> {{Dead link|date=September 2008}}
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''New Hampshire 1.37% (9,274 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''Ohio 2.10% (118,601 votes)'''</span> ''(tipping point state)''
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Pennsylvania 2.50% (144,248 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''Nevada 2.59% (21,500 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Michigan 3.42% (165,437 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Minnesota 3.48% (98,319 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Oregon 4.16% (76,332 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''Colorado 4.67% (99,523 votes)'''</span>


States where margin of victory was more than 5% but less than 10% (149 electoral votes):
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''Florida 5.01% (380,978 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Maine's 2nd Congressional District 5.83% (20,762 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''New Jersey 6.68% (241,427 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Washington 7.18% (205,307 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''Missouri 7.20% (196,542 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Delaware 7.60% (28,492 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''Virginia 8.20% (262,217 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Hawaii 8.75% (37,517 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Maine 8.99% (66,641 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkred;">'''Arkansas 9.76% (102,945 votes)'''</span>
# <span style="color:darkblue;">'''California 9.94% (1,235,659 votes)'''</span>


===Close states=== ==== Statistics ====
<ref>, Uselectionatlas.org.</ref>
Blue font color denotes states won by Democrat John Kerry; red denotes those won by Republican President George W. Bush.


Counties with highest percent of vote (Republican)
]
# '''<span style="color:red;">] 91.97%</span>'''
# '''<span style="color:red;">] 91.89%</span>'''
# '''<span style="color:red;">] 91.56%</span>'''
# '''<span style="color:red;">] 90.93%</span>'''
# '''<span style="color:red;">] 90.23%</span>'''


Counties with highest percent of vote (Democratic)
States where margin of victory was under 5% (115 electoral votes):
#<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Wisconsin''' 0.38%</span> # '''<span style="color:blue;">] 89.18%</span>'''
#<span style="color:red;">'''Iowa''' 0.67%</span> # '''<span style="color:blue;">] 84.62%</span>'''
#<span style="color:red;">'''New Mexico''' 0.79%</span> # '''<span style="color:blue;">] 83.02%</span>'''
#<span style="color:darkblue;">'''New Hampshire''' 1.37%</span> # '''<span style="color:blue;">] 82.92%</span>'''
#<span style="color:red;">'''Ohio''' 2.11%</span> # '''<span style="color:blue;">] 82.80%</span>'''
#<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Pennsylvania''' 2.50%</span>
#<span style="color:red;">'''Nevada''' 2.59%</span>
#<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Michigan''' 3.42%</span>
#<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Minnesota''' 3.48%</span>
#<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Oregon''' 4.16%</span>
#<span style="color:red;">'''Colorado''' 4.67%</span>


=== Finance ===
===2004 United States Electoral College===
]
{{main|United States presidential electors, 2004}}


Money spent
===Ballot access===
* ] (R) $367,227,801
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
* ] (D) $326,236,288
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
* ] (I) $4,566,037
* ] (L) $1,093,013
* ] (C) $729,087
* ] (G) $493,723
* ] (SPUSA) $2,060

Source: FEC<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search Campaign Finance Summary Data |url=http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/srssea.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006100202/http://fec.gov/finance/disclosure/srssea.shtml |archive-date=October 6, 2008 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |publisher=Fec.gov}}</ref>

=== Ballot access ===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:lightgrey;"
! Presidential ticket ! Presidential ticket
! Party ! Party
! ] ! ]
|-
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
| Bush / Cheney | Bush / Cheney
| Republican | {{Party shading/Republican}} | Republican
| align="right" | 50+] | style="text-align:right;"| 50+]
|-
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
| Kerry / Edwards | Kerry / Edwards
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic
| Democrat
| align="right" | 50+DC | style="text-align:right;"| 50+DC
|-
|- {{Party shading/Libertarian}}
| Badnarik / Campagna | Badnarik / Campagna
| Libertarian | {{Party shading/Libertarian}} | Libertarian
| align="right" | 48+DC | style="text-align:right;"| 48+DC
|- |-
| Peroutka / Baldwin | Peroutka / Baldwin
| Constitution | {{Party shading/Constitution}} | Constitution
| align="right" | 36 | style="text-align:right;"| 36
|-
|- {{Party shading/Independent}}
| Nader / Camejo | Nader / Camejo
| Independent, Reform | {{Party shading/Independent}}| Independent, Reform
| align="right" | 34+DC | style="text-align:right;"| 34+DC
|-
|- {{Party shading/Green}}
| Cobb / LaMarche | Cobb / LaMarche
| Green | {{Party shading/Green}} | Green
| align="right" | 27+DC | style="text-align:right;"| 27+DC
|} |}


=== 2004 United States Electoral College ===
===“Faithless elector” in Minnesota===
{{Main|List of 2004 United States presidential electors}}
One elector in Minnesota cast a ballot for president with the name of “John Ewards<!-- Please don't correct this! It was misspelled on the ballot. -->”<ref>National Review: </ref> written on it. The Electoral College officials certified this ballot as a vote for John Edwards for president. The remaining nine electors cast ballots for John Kerry. All ten electors in the state cast ballots for John Edwards for Vice President (John Edwards' name was spelled correctly on all ballots for Vice President). This was the first time in U.S. history that an elector had cast both of his or her votes for the same person.


Electoral balloting in Minnesota was performed by secret ballot, and none of the electors admitted to casting the Edwards vote for President, so it may never be known who the “]” was. It is not even known whether the vote for Edwards was deliberate or unintentional; the Republican Secretary of State and several of the Democratic electors have expressed the opinion that this was an accident.<ref>Minnesota Public Radio: </ref> One elector in Minnesota cast a ballot for president with the name of "John Ewards<!-- Please don't correct this! It was misspelled on the ballot. -->" {{sic}} written on it.<ref name="LforLoser">{{Cite news |last=Freddoso |first=David |date=December 21, 2004 |title=Does L Stand for Loser? |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/213203/does-l-stand-loser-david-freddoso |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411225347/http://www.nationalreview.com/article/213203/does-l-stand-loser-david-freddoso |archive-date=April 11, 2015 |access-date=April 11, 2015 |work=National Review}}</ref> The Electoral College officials certified this ballot as a vote for Edwards for president. The remaining nine electors cast ballots for Kerry. All ten electors in the state cast ballots for Edwards for vice president (Edwards's name was spelled correctly on all ballots for vice president).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Radio |first=Minnesota Public |title=MPR: Minnesota elector gives Edwards a vote; Kerry gets other nine |url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/12/13_ap_electors/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101213450/http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/12/13_ap_electors/ |archive-date=January 1, 2010 |access-date=January 25, 2005}}</ref> This was the first time in U.S. history that an elector had cast a vote for the same person to be both president and vice president. Electoral balloting in Minnesota was performed by secret ballot, and none of the electors admitted to casting the Edwards vote for president, so it may never be known who the ] was. It is not even known whether the vote for Edwards was deliberate or unintentional; the Republican Secretary of State and several of the Democratic electors have expressed the opinion that this was an accident.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Elector Gives Edwards a Vote; Kerry Gets Other Nine |url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/12/13_ap_electors/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101213450/http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/12/13_ap_electors/ |archive-date=January 1, 2010 |website=Minnesota Public Radio}}</ref>


=== Statistical analysis ===
===Electoral vote error in New York===
] in ] on October 27, 2004<ref>{{Cite web |title=Travels of Vice President Dick Cheney-October 2004 |url=http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/bush/cheneycal1004a.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010231053/http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/bush/cheneycal1004a.html |archive-date=October 10, 2008 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |publisher=Gwu.edu}}</ref>]]
New York's initial electoral vote certificate indicated that all of its 31 electoral votes for president were cast for “John '''L.''' Kerry of Massachusetts” instead of John '''F.''' Kerry, who won the popular vote in the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2004_certificates/vote_new_york_03.html |title=NARA Federal Register U. S. Electoral College 2004 Certificate |publisher=Archives.gov|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> This was apparently the result of a typographical error, and an amended electoral vote certificate with the correct middle initial was transmitted to the ] prior to the official electoral vote count.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/2004_certificates/vote_new_york_03_amended.html |title=NARA Federal Register U. S. Electoral College 2004 Certificate |publisher=Archives.gov|accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref>


During the campaign and as the results came in on the night of the election, there was much focus on ], ], and ]. These three ]s were seen as evenly divided, and with each casting 20 electoral votes or more, they had the power to decide the election. As the final results came in, Kerry took Pennsylvania and then Bush took Florida, focusing all attention on Ohio.
=== Analysis ===
]
The results produced many interesting features. A partial list is given below, but it is by no means complete.
* Compared to ] vs. ], Bush picked up a net gain of 8 ] due to narrow victories in ] and ] while conceding a close loss in ], and a net gain of 7 votes due to the ] in 2003 as a result of the ], for a total net gain of 15 electoral votes.
* This was the first election since ] in ] in which the winning presidential candidate of either party won a majority (over 50%) of the popular vote.
* Bush won the popular vote with 50.73% to Kerry's 48.27%. Although in percentage terms it was the closest popular margin ever for a victorious sitting president, he ended up getting higher percentage of the popular vote than 6 out of 8 Democratic Presidents who preceded him.<ref name="Pres_El_Results"> Presidential General Election Results Comparison</ref> Bush received 2.5% more than Kerry. Bush's absolute victory margin (approximately 3 million votes) was the smallest of any sitting president since ] in ].
* At least 12 million more votes were cast than in the ].
* Voter turnout was unusually high. American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate reported a record turnout of 60.7% of eligible voting-age citizens, 6.4% higher than turnout in the ] and the highest since ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.american.edu/ia/cdem/csae/pdfs/csae050114.pdf|format=PDF|title="Turnout Exceeds Optimistic Predictions: More Than 122 Million Vote," Press Release, Center for the Study of the American Electorate, issued January 14, 2005|publisher=Center for the Study of the American Electorate |accessdate=2008-11-11}}</ref> Note, however, that the "eligible" voting-age electorate is by definition smaller than the total voting-age population. In a formal report, the Federal Election Commission released a lower figure of 56.70% for the percentage of the electorate that voted for a presidential candidate,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2004/tables.pdf |format=PDF|title="2004 Election Results," FEC formal publication |publisher=fec.gov |accessdate=2008-11-11}}</ref> based on the latter, larger pool (as calculated by the Census Bureau).
* Owing to the nation's growing population and large turnout, both Bush ''and'' Kerry received more votes than any previous presidential candidate in American history. The previous record was held by Republican ], who in ] received more votes than any other presidential candidate in American history (54.4 million).
*Only five states saw every county vote for one candidate: Bush won every county in Utah and Oklahoma while Kerry won every county in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Hawaii.
* As in 2000, electoral votes split along sharp geographical lines: the ], ], and most of the ] for Kerry, and the ], ], and ] for Bush. The widespread support for Bush in the Southern states continued the transformation of the formerly Democratic ] to the Republican South.
* This is the first and, to date, only time that a Democrat won every electoral vote in the ] while losing the election.
* Minor party candidates received many fewer votes, dropping from a total of 3.5% in 2000 to approximately one percent. As in 2000, ] finished in third place, but his total declined from 2.9 million to 400,000 votes, leaving him with fewer votes than ] candidate ] had received in finishing fourth in 2000.
* The election marked the first time an incumbent president was returned to office while his political party increased its numbers in both houses of Congress since ] in the ]. It was the first time for a Republican since ] in the ].
* Although the election was close, nearly half of U.S. voters lived in a county where Bush or Kerry won by 20 percentage points or more. By comparison, only a quarter lived in such counties in 1976.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bishop |first=Bill |coauthors=Cushing, Robert |title=The Big Sort: Migration, Economy and Politics in the United States of 'Those People' |url=http://www.aei.org/docLib/20080229_BillBishop.pdf |date=February 29, 2008}}</ref>


], receiving a ] phone call from Kerry, which came the afternoon of the day following the election]]
===Electoral College changes from 2000===
The U.S. population is continuously shifting, and some states grow in population faster than others. With the completion of the 2000 census, ] ] took place, moving some representative districts from the slowest growing states to the fastest growing. As a result, several states had a different number of electors in the ] in 2004 than in 2000, since the number of electors allotted to each state is equal to the sum of the number of ] and ] from that state.


The morning after the election, the winner was still undetermined. The result in Ohio would decide the winner, although the results in ] and ] were also undetermined. Bush led in Ohio, but the state was still counting provisional ballots. In the afternoon of the day after the election, Ohio Secretary of State ] announced that there were roughly 135,000 provisional ballots remaining. Kerry's campaign believed that it was statistically impossible to erase Bush's lead. Faced with this announcement, Kerry conceded defeat.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Liptak |first=Adam |date=November 4, 2004 |title=In Making His Decision on Ohio, Kerry Did the Math |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/politics/campaign/in-making-his-decision-on-ohio-kerry-did-the-math.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125233402/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/politics/campaign/in-making-his-decision-on-ohio-kerry-did-the-math.html |archive-date=January 25, 2024 |access-date=January 25, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
The following table shows the change in electors from the ]. <span style="color:#C20;">'''Red'''</span> states represent those won by ]; and <span style="color:darkblue;">'''Blue'''</span> states, those won by both ] and ]. All states except Nebraska and Maine use a ] allocation of electors. Each of these states was won by the same party in 2004 that had won it in 2000; thus, George W. Bush received a net gain of seven electoral votes due to reapportionment while the Democrats lost the same amount.


Bush became the first Republican to ever win without carrying New Hampshire, and the first to win the popular vote without Vermont and Illinois. This was the last time a president was re-elected to a consecutive term with a higher share of the electoral vote. Bush carried Colorado despite the state being Kerry's birth state. Bush simultaneously lost his own birth state of Connecticut, making this the only election since 1864 where neither candidate carried their birth state. This election was the first time since 1976 that New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, Illinois, Michigan, and California voted for the losing candidate in the popular vote, as well as the first since 1980 that Maryland did so, and the first since 1948 that Delaware did so. Bush's 2.4% popular vote margin is the smallest ever for a re-elected incumbent president surpassing the 1812 election.
<table border="0">
<tr><th>Gained votes</th><th>Lost votes</th></tr>
<tr><td style="vertical-align:top;">
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Arizona'''</span> ('''8→10 <span style="color:#00C000;">+2</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Florida'''</span> ('''25→27 <span style="color:#00C000;">+2</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Georgia'''</span> ('''13→15 <span style="color:#00C000;">+2</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Texas'''</span> ('''32→34 <span style="color:#00C000;">+2</span>''')
*<span style="color:darkblue;">'''California'''</span> ('''54→55 <span style="color:#006000;">+1</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Colorado'''</span> ('''8→9 <span style="color:#006000;">+1</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''North Carolina'''</span> ('''14→15 <span style="color:#006000;">+1</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Nevada'''</span> ('''4→5 <span style="color:#006000;">+1</span>''')
</td><td style="vertical-align:top;">
*<span style="color:darkblue;">'''New York'''</span> ('''33→31 <span style="color:#F00;">-2</span>''')
*<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Pennsylvania'''</span> ('''23→21 <span style="color:#F00;">-2</span>''')
*<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Connecticut'''</span> ('''8→7 <span style="color:#A00000;">-1</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Mississippi'''</span> ('''7→6 <span style="color:#A00000;">-1</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Ohio'''</span> ('''21→20 <span style="color:#A00000;">-1</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Oklahoma'''</span> ('''8→7 <span style="color:#A00000;">-1</span>''')
*<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Wisconsin'''</span> ('''11→10 <span style="color:#A00000;">-1</span>''')
*<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Illinois'''</span> ('''22→21 <span style="color:#A00000;">-1</span>''')
*<span style="color:#C20;">'''Indiana'''</span> ('''12→11 <span style="color:#A00000;">-1</span>''')
*<span style="color:darkblue;">'''Michigan'''</span> ('''18→17 <span style="color:#A00000;">-1</span>''')
</td></tr>
</table>


Bush won three states that have not voted Republican since: Virginia, Colorado, and New Mexico. Virginia had voted Republican in every election from 1968 to 2004 but conversely has voted Democratic in every election since 2008. In contrast, this is the last election in which the losing candidate won any of the following states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This is also the last time a Republican was elected without carrying Maine's 2nd congressional district. This election is the only time in history that every Northeastern state voted Democratic and every former Confederate state voted Republican in the same election. Thus, Bush is the only candidate to win without carrying any Northeastern electoral votes. Furthermore, this was the last election where both major party tickets consisted entirely of white men. This is also the last election where both parties flipped states and is also the most recent year when an incumbent candidate from either party would flip any states, with Bush taking the two which he did not win in 2000, in both New Mexico and Iowa.
(This table uses the currently common Red→Republican, Blue→Democratic color association, as do the maps on this page. Some older party-affiliation maps use the opposite color coding for historical reasons.)


{{as of|alt=Until ]|2024}}, this was the last time ] voted for the Republican presidential candidate, and the only presidential election since ] in which the Republican nominee won the popular vote, and it remains the only presidential election since ] in which the incumbent Republican president won a second consecutive term.{{update after|2032}} Bush also became the only incumbent president to win immediate re-election after previously losing the popular vote. Bush is the seventh Republican to have won re-election to a consecutive term, along with ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The 2004 election had the highest turnout rate among eligible voters since ].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Faler |first=Brian |date=January 14, 2005 |title=Election Turnout in 2004 Was Highest Since 1968 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2005/01/15/election-turnout-in-2004-was-highest-since-1968/8ff91650-23a2-4c3b-8276-db91263425c4/ |access-date=February 22, 2024 |newspaper=]}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/voter-turnout-in-presidential-elections |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181031002449/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/voter-turnout-in-presidential-elections |archive-date=October 31, 2018 |access-date=January 8, 2021 |website=Presidency.UCSB.edu}}</ref> This is one of only four U.S. presidential elections in which the winner did not carry any of the three Rust Belt states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin; the others were 2000, 1916 and 1884.
==Battleground states==
] in ] on October 27, 2004<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/bush/cheneycal1004a.html |title=Travels of Vice President Dick Cheney-October 2004 |publisher=Gwu.edu |date= |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref>]]
During the campaign and as the results came in on the night of the election there was much focus on ], ], and ]. These three ] states were seen as evenly divided, and with each casting 20 electoral votes or more, they had the power to decide the election. As the final results came in, Kerry took Pennsylvania and then Bush took Florida, focusing all attention on Ohio.


<gallery perrow="4" widths="250px" heights="167px">
The morning after the election, the major candidates were neck and neck. It was clear that the result in Ohio, along with two other states who had still not declared (] and ]), would decide the winner. Bush had established a lead of around 130,000 votes but the Democrats pointed to ]s that had yet to be counted, initially reported to number as high as 200,000. Bush had preliminary leads of less than 5% of the vote in only four states, but if Iowa, ] and New Mexico had all eventually gone to Kerry, a win for Bush in Ohio would have created a 269–269 tie in the Electoral College. The result of an ] would cause the election to be decided in the House of Representatives with each state casting one vote, regardless of population. Such a scenario would almost certainly have resulted in a victory for Bush, as Republicans controlled more House delegations. Therefore, the outcome of the election hinged solely on the result in Ohio, regardless of the final totals elsewhere. In the afternoon Ohio's Secretary of State, ], announced that it was statistically impossible for the Democrats to make up enough valid votes in the provisional ballots to win. At the time provisional ballots were reported as numbering 140,000 (and later estimated to be only 135,000). Faced with this announcement, John Kerry conceded defeat. Had Kerry won Ohio, he would have won the election despite losing the national popular vote by over 3 million votes, a complete reversal of the 2000 election when Bush won the presidency despite losing the popular vote to Al Gore by some 500,000 votes.
File:2004 US elections map electoral votes.png|Presidential electoral votes by state. Red is Republican; blue is Democratic.

File:2004 Presidential Election by County.svg|Presidential popular votes by county.{{refn|group=lower-alpha|name="county clarification"|Alaska and Louisiana do not have counties. Alaska's ] and Louisiana's ] are pictured.}}
The upper Midwest bloc of ], ], and ] is also notable, casting a sum of 27 electoral votes. The following is list of the states considered swing states in the 2004 election by most news organizations and which candidate they eventually went for. The two major parties chose to focus their advertising on these states:
File:2004 US elections purple counties.png|Presidential popular votes by county as a scale from red/Republican to blue/Democratic.
{| cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%;"
File:Cartlinearlarge.png|Presidential popular votes ], in which the sizes of counties have been rescaled according to their population.
|-valign=top
File:Cartogram-2004 Electoral Vote.PNG|Cartogram in which each square represents one electoral vote.
|width="25%"|Bush:
File:2004 United States presidential election results map by county.svg|Results by county, shaded according to winning candidate's percentage of the vote.{{refn|group=lower-alpha|name="county clarification"}}
*]
File:Presidential Elections 2000-2004 Swing in County Margins.svg|County swing from 2000 to 2004{{refn|group=lower-alpha|name="county clarification"}}
*]
File:2004 presidential election, results by congressional district (popular vote percentage).svg|Results by congressional district.
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

Kerry:
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
|
<gallery perrow="2" widths="250px" heights="167px">
Image:2004 US elections map electoral votes.png|Presidential electoral votes by state. Red is Republican, Blue is Democratic
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: Image:File-2004prescountymap.PNG|Presidential popular votes by county. Note substantially more "mixing" of colors. -->
Image:2004 US elections purple counties.png|Presidential popular votes by county as a scale from Red/Republican to Blue/Democratic
Image:Cartlinearlarge.png|Presidential popular votes ], in which the sizes of counties have been rescaled according to their population.
Image:Cartogram-2004 Electoral Vote.PNG|] where each square represents one electoral vote.
</gallery> </gallery>

==Voter demographics==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="8" | 2004 presidential vote by demographic subgroup
|-
! Demographic subgroup
! {{party shading/Democratic}} |Kerry
! {{party shading/Republican}} |Bush
! {{party shading/Independent}} |Other
! % of<br />total vote
|-
| Total vote
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 48
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 51
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 100
|-
! colspan="5" |Ideology
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 86
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 13
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 21
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 54
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 45
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 45
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 15
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 84
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 34
|-
! colspan="5" |Party
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 89
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 11
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 37
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 6
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 93
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 37
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 49
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 48
| style="text-align:right;" | 3
| style="text-align:right;" | 26
|-
! colspan="5" |Gender
|-
| Men
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 44
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 55
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 46
|-
| Women
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 51
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 48
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 54
|-
! colspan="5" |Marital status
|-
| Married
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 42
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 57
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 63
|-
| Non-married
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 58
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 40
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 37
|-
! colspan="5" |Race
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 41
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 58
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 77
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 88
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 11
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 11
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 56
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 43
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
|-
| Other
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 56
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 40
| style="text-align:right;" | 4
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 54
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 44
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 8
|-
! colspan="5" |Religion
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 40
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 59
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 54
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 47
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 52
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 27
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 74
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 25
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 3
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 93
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | <1
| style="text-align:right;" | >6
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
|-
| Other
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 74
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 23
| style="text-align:right;" | 3
| style="text-align:right;" | 7
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 67
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 31
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 10
|-
! colspan="5" |Religious service attendance
|-
| More than weekly
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 35
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 64
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 16
|-
| Weekly
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 41
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 58
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 26
|-
| Monthly
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 49
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 50
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
|-
| A few times a year
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 54
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 45
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 28
|-
| Never
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 62
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 36
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 15
|-
! colspan="5" |White evangelical or born-again Christian?
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 21
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 78
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 23
|-
| Everyone else
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 56
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 43
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 77
|-
! colspan="5" |Age
|-
| 18–29 years old
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 54
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 45
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 17
|-
| 30–44 years old
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 46
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 53
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 29
|-
| 45–59 years old
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 48
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 51
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 30
|-
| 60 and older
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 46
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 54
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 24
|-
! colspan="5" |First time voter?
|-
| First time voter
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 53
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 46
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 11
|-
| Everyone else
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 48
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 51
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 89
|-
! colspan="5" |Sexual orientation
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 77
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 22
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 4
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 46
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 53
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 96
|-
! colspan="5" |Education
|-
| Not a ] graduate
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 50
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 49
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 4
|-
| High school graduate
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 47
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 52
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 22
|-
| Some ] education
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 46
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 54
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 32
|-
| College graduate
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 46
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 52
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 26
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 55
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 44
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 16
|-
! colspan="5" |Family income
|-
| Under $15,000
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 63
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 36
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 8
|-
| $15,000–30,000
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 57
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 42
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 15
|-
| $30,000–50,000
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 50
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 49
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 22
|-
| $50,000–75,000
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 43
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 56
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 23
|-
| $75,000–100,000
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 45
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 55
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
|-
| $100,000–150,000
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 42
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 57
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 11
|-
| $150,000–200,000
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 42
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 58
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 4
|-
| Over $200,000
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 35
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 63
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 3
|-
! colspan="5" |Union households
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 59
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 40
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 24
|-
| Non-union
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 44
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 55
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 76
|-
! colspan="5" |Military service
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 41
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 57
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 18
|-
| Non-veterans
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 50
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 49
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 82
|-
! colspan="5" |Issue regarded as most important
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 18
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 80
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 22
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 80
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 18
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 20
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 14
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 86
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 19
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 73
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 26
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 15
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 77
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 23
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 8
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 43
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 57
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 5
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 73
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 26
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 4
|-
! colspan="5" |Region
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 56
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 43
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 22
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 48
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 51
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 26
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 42
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 58
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | 32
|-
| ]
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 50
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 49
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 20
|-
! colspan="5" |Community size
|-
| Urban
| style="text-align:right; background:#b0ceff;" | 54
| style="text-align:right; background:#fff3f3;" | 45
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 30
|-
| Suburban
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 47
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 52
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 46
|-
| Rural
| style="text-align:right; background:#f0f0ff;" | 42
| style="text-align:right; background:#ffb6b6;" | 57
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 25
|} |}
'''Source:''' '']'' exit poll (<small>13,660 surveyed</small>)<ref>{{Cite news |title=CNN.com Election 2004 |url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070514025413/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html |archive-date=May 14, 2007 |access-date=January 2, 2018 |work=]}}</ref>


==Election controversy== == Aftermath ==
This is one of only two U.S. presidential elections, held since the Democrats and Republicans became the two major parties in U.S. politics, in which the winner did not carry any of the three ] states of ], ], and ]; the other was 2000, when Bush was first elected.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brownstein |first=Ronald |date=September 16, 2024 |title=Why These Three States Are the Most Consistent Tipping Point in American Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/17/politics/blue-wall-states-harris-trump-analysis/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921111750/https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/17/politics/blue-wall-states-harris-trump-analysis/index.html |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=September 16, 2024 |work=]}}</ref>
{{main|2004 United States election voting controversies}}
]
After the election, some sources reported indications of possible data irregularities and systematic flaws during the voting process, which are covered in detail by the election controversy articles.


=== Voting problems in Ohio ===
Although the overall result of the election was not challenged by the Kerry campaign, Green Party presidential candidate ] and Libertarian Party presidential candidate ] obtained a recount in ]. This recount was completed December 28, 2004, although on January 24, 2007, a jury convicted two Ohio elections officials of selecting precincts to recount where they already knew the hand total would match the machine total, thereby avoiding having to perform a full recount.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012401441.html | title = Election Staff Convicted in Recount Rig | work = Washington Post | date = January 24, 2007}}</ref>
After the election, activists and election scholars criticized various issues with the election in Ohio. Long lines at polling places over seven hours were reported. An electronic voting machine erroneously gave thousands of extra votes to Bush.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Liptak |first=Adam |date=November 7, 2004 |title=Voting Problems in Ohio Set Off an Alarm |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/07/politics/campaign/voting-problems-in-ohio-set-off-an-alarm.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225082539/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/07/politics/campaign/voting-problems-in-ohio-set-off-an-alarm.html |archive-date=February 25, 2024 |access-date=February 25, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Professor ] stated that he believed that Ohio's voting problems did not affect the outcome.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Dao |first1=James |last2=Fessenden |first2=Ford |last3=Zeller |first3=Tom Jr. |date=December 24, 2004 |title=Voting Problems in Ohio Spur Call for Overhaul |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/24/us/voting-problems-in-ohio-spur-call-for-overhaul.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524182945/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/24/us/voting-problems-in-ohio-spur-call-for-overhaul.html |archive-date=May 24, 2020 |access-date=February 25, 2024 |work=] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>


=== Objections and conspiracy theories ===
At the official counting of the electoral votes on January 6, a motion was made contesting Ohio's electoral votes. Because the motion was supported by at least one member of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, election law mandated that each house retire to debate and vote on the motion. In the House of Representatives, the motion was supported by 31 Democrats. It was opposed by 178 Republicans, 88 Democrats and one independent. Not voting were 52 Republicans and 80 Democrats.<ref></ref> Four people elected to the House had not yet taken office, and one seat was vacant. In the Senate, it was supported only by its maker, ], with 74 Senators opposed and 25 not voting. During the debate, no Senator argued that the outcome of the election should be changed by either court challenge or revote. Senator Boxer claimed that she had made the motion not to challenge the outcome, but to “shed the light of truth on these irregularities.”
{{Main|2004 United States election voting controversies}}


{{Fringe section|date=January 2021}}
Kerry would later state (in interviewer ]'s words) that "the widespread irregularities make it impossible to know for certain that the outcome reflected the will of the voters." In the same article, ] Chairman ] said "I'm not confident that the election in Ohio was fairly decided... We know that there was substantial voter suppression, and the machines were not reliable. It should not be a surprise that the Republicans are willing to do things that are unethical to manipulate elections. That's what we suspect has happened." <ref name= RS/>
]
After the election, many blogs published false rumors claiming to show evidence that voter fraud had prevented Kerry from winning.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zeller |first=Tom Jr. |date=November 12, 2004 |title=Vote Fraud Theories, Spread by Blogs, Are Quickly Buried |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/12/politics/vote-fraud-theories-spread-by-blogs-are-quickly-buried.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319205327/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/12/politics/vote-fraud-theories-spread-by-blogs-are-quickly-buried.html |archive-date=March 19, 2024 |access-date=April 11, 2024 |website=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Joanna |date=December 19, 2020 |title=What Happened to the Democrats Who Never Accepted Bush's Election |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/12/19/2004-kerry-election-fraud-2020-448604 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126203318/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/12/19/2004-kerry-election-fraud-2020-448604 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |access-date=February 8, 2021 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}</ref> Although the overall result of the election was not challenged by the Kerry campaign, Green Party presidential candidate ] and Libertarian Party presidential candidate ] obtained a recount in ]. This recount was completed December 28, 2004, although on January 24, 2007, a jury convicted two Ohio elections officials of selecting precincts to recount where they already knew the hand total would match the machine total, thereby avoiding having to perform a full recount.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kropko |first=M.R. |date=January 24, 2007 |title=Election Staff Convicted in Recount Rig |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012401441.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726030859/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/24/AR2007012401441.html |archive-date=July 26, 2008 |access-date=May 26, 2010 |newspaper=]}}</ref> Independent candidate ] obtained a recount in 11 New Hampshire precincts that used Accuvote voting machines.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Herron |first1=Michael C. |last2=Wand |first2=Jonathan |date=June 1, 2007 |title=Assessing Partisan Bias in Voting Technology: The Case of the 2004 New Hampshire Recount |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261379406000230 |journal=Electoral Studies |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=247–261 |doi=10.1016/j.electstud.2006.02.004 |issn=0261-3794}}</ref>


At the official counting of the electoral votes on January 6, an objection was made under the ] (now {{usc|3|15}}) to Ohio's electoral votes. Because the motion was supported by at least one member of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the law required that the two houses separate to debate and vote on the objection. In the House of Representatives, the objection was supported by 31 Democrats. It was opposed by 178 Republicans, 88 Democrats and one independent. Not voting were 52 Republicans and 80 Democrats.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 6, 2005 |title=Final Vote Results for Roll Call 7 |url=http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll007.xml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503021334/http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll007.xml |archive-date=May 3, 2008 |access-date=May 24, 2010 |publisher=Clerk.house.gov}}</ref> Four people elected to the House had not yet taken office, and one seat was vacant. In the Senate, it was supported only by its maker, ], with 74 senators opposed and 25 not voting. During the debate, no Senator argued that the outcome of the election should be changed by either court challenge or revote. Boxer claimed that she had made the motion not to challenge the outcome but "to cast the light of truth on a flawed system which must be fixed now".<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 7, 2005 |title=Congress Ratifies Bush Victory After Challenge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/07/politics/congress-ratifies-bush-victory-after-challenge.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104203812/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/07/politics/congress-ratifies-bush-victory-after-challenge.html |archive-date=January 4, 2021 |access-date=January 4, 2021 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 6, 2005 |title=Senator Barbara Boxer's (Democrat California) Objection to the Certification of Ohio's Electoral Votes |url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G04/EC-Boxer-20050106.phtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921112703/http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G04/EC-Boxer-20050106.phtml |archive-date=September 21, 2024 |access-date=January 4, 2021 |work=The Green Papers}}</ref>
===Points of controversy===
*There is no individual federal agency with direct regulatory authority of the U.S. voting machine industry.<ref>U.S. ]. (2001, March 13). . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved February 10, 2008.</ref> However the ] has full regulatory authority over federal testing and certification processes, as well as an influential advisory role in certain voting industry matters.<ref>U.S. ]. (2007, January 11). . U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION: U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. Retrieved February 10, 2008.</ref> Further oversight authority belongs to the ], regularly investigating voting system related issues.<ref>] </ref>


Kerry would later state that "the widespread irregularities make it impossible to know for certain that the outcome reflected the will of the voters". In the same article, ] Chairman ] said: "I'm not confident that the election in Ohio was fairly decided... We know that there was substantial voter suppression, and the machines were not reliable. It should not be a surprise that the Republicans are willing to do things that are unethical to manipulate elections. That's what we suspect has happened."<ref name="RS">{{Cite magazine |last=Kennedy, Jr |first=Robert F. |author-link=Robert F. Kennedy Jr. |date=June 1, 2006 |title=Was the 2004 Election Stolen? |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915175855/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10432334/was_the_2004_election_stolen |archive-date=September 15, 2008 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |magazine=]}}</ref>
*The former president of Diebold Election Systems (]) and the vice president of customer support at ES&S (])<ref></ref> are brothers.<ref name="Private Company Still ‘Controls’ Election Outcome">{{cite web |url=http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/private_company.html |title= Private Company Still ‘Controls’ Election Outcome |publisher= americanfreepress.net |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref>


==See also==
*] the former CEO of ] (the parent company of voting machine manufacturer Diebold Election Systems) was an active fundraiser for ]'s re-election campaign and wrote in a fund-raising letter dated August 13, 2003, that he was committed "to helping ] deliver its ] to the President."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://money.cnn.com/2004/08/30/technology/election_diebold/ | title=The trouble with e-voting | author=Paul R. La Monica | date=August 30, 2004 | publisher=CNN/Money | accessdate=2006-10-23 }}</ref>
* ]

* ]
*Republican Senator ], who was on a short list of George W. Bush's vice-presidential candidates,<ref name="The Maverick on Bush's Short List">{{cite web |url=http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_28/b3689130.htm |title= The Maverick on Bush's Short List - Business loves Hagel&mdash;even if the GOP doesn't always |publisher= BusinessWeek |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="Vice president Chuck Hagel?">{{cite web |url=http://theindependent.com/stories/052700/new_hagel27.html |title= Vice president Chuck Hagel? |publisher= theindependent.com |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref> served as the chairman of ES&S in the early 1990s when it operated under the name American Information Systems Inc. (AIS).<ref name="thehill">{{Cite news
* ]
| last = Bolton
* ]
| first = Alexander
* ]
| author-link =
* ]
| title = Hagel’s ethics filings pose disclosure issue
* ]
| newspaper = ]
* ]
| date = January 29, 2003
* ]
| url = http://web.archive.org/web/20030401221124/http://www.hillnews.com/news/012903/hagel.aspx}}</ref> ES&S voting machines tabulated 85 percent of the votes cast in Hagel’s 2002 and 1996 election races. In 2003 Hagel disclosed a financial stake in McCarthy Group Inc., the holding company of ES&S.<ref name="thehill"/>
* '']'', a 2004 boxing video game

*Global Election Systems, which was purchased by Diebold Election Systems and developed the core technology behind the company's voting machines and voter registration system, employed five convicted felons as consultants and developers.<ref name="wiredcon">{{cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2003/12/61640 |title= Con Job at Diebold Subsidiary |publisher= Wired.com |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref>


=== Other elections ===
*], a former Senior Vice-President of Global Election Systems when it was bought by Diebold, had previously been convicted of 23 counts of felony theft in the first degree. ] reports Dean was retained as a consultant by Diebold Election Systems,<ref name="BevHarrisScoop">{{cite web |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0312/S00191.htm |title= Bev Harris: Embezzler Programmed Voting System |publisher= Scoop Independent News |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref> though Diebold has disputed the consulting relationship.<ref name="wiredcon"/> Dean was convicted of theft via "alteration of records in the computerized accounting system" using a "high degree of sophistication" to evade detection over a period of 2 years.<ref name="BevHarrisScoop"/>
* ]
* ]
* ]


== Notes ==
*International election observers were barred from the polls in Ohio<ref name="Election Officials in Ohio and Florida Fail to Give Poll Access to International Election Observers">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalexchange.org/update/press/2638.html |title= Election Officials in Ohio and Florida Fail to Give Poll Access to International Election Observers |publisher= globalexchange.org |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="Blackwellban">{{cite web |url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/10/26/loc_elexoh.html |title= Foreign observers banned by Blackwell |publisher= The Enquirer |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref> by then Republican Ohio Secretary of State ]. Blackwell's office argues this was the correct interpretation of Ohio law.<ref name="Blackwellban"/>
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}


== References ==
*California Secretary of State ] decertified all Diebold Election Systems touch-screen voting machines due to computer-science reports released detailing design and security concerns.<ref name="California Bans E-Vote Machines">{{cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2004/04/63298 |title= California Bans E-Vote Machines |publisher= Wired |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="California official seeks criminal probe of e-voting">{{cite web |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4874190 |title= California official seeks criminal probe of e-voting |publisher= MSNBC |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref>
{{Reflist}}


== Sources ==
* 30% of all U.S. votes cast in the 2004 election were cast on direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machine, which do not print individual paper records of each vote.<ref name="E-Voting: Is The Fix In?">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/28/sunday/main632436.shtml |title= E-Voting: Is The Fix In? |publisher= CBS News |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref>
* , a PDF file, with the latest, most final, and complete vote totals available.
* {{Cite web |title=Presidential Results by Congressional District |url=http://www.polidata.org/prcd |access-date=July 29, 2005 |website=Polidata |publisher=Washington, D.C.: Polidata}}
* ] '']: 2006'' (2005)
* ], ''US elections and war on terrorism'' (2004), Analisi Difesa, no. 50
* ], ], and Staff of Newsweek. ''Election 2004'' (2005)


=== Books ===
*Numerous statistical analysis showed "discrepancy in the number of votes Bush received in counties that used the touch-screen machines and counties that used other types of voting equipment" as well as discrepancies with exit polls, favoring President George W. Bush.<ref name="Researchers: Florida Vote Fishy">{{cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2004/11/65757 |title= Researchers: Florida Vote Fishy |publisher= Wired |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="Votergate 2004? - Research Studies Uncover Potential Massive Election Fraud">{{cite web |url=http://www.yuricareport.com/ElectionAftermath04/ThreeResearchStudiesBushIsOut.htm |title= Votergate 2004? - Research Studies Uncover Potential Massive Election Fraud |publisher= Yurica Report: News Intelligence Analysis |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="Complete US Exit Poll Data Confirms Net Suspicions">{{cite web |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0411/S00227.htm |title= Complete US Exit Poll Data Confirms Net Suspicions |publisher= Scoop Independent News |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="University researchers challenge Bush win in Florida: 'Something went awry with electronic voting in Florida,' says the lead researcher">{{cite web |url=http://www.computerworld.com/governmenttopics/government/policy/story/0,10801,97614,00.html |title= University researchers challenge Bush win in Florida: 'Something went awry with electronic voting in Florida,' says the lead researcher |publisher= ComputerWorld |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="Tens of Thousands of Votes Lost, Stolen, Miscounted">{{cite web |url=http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/tens_of_thousands.html |title= Tens of Thousands of Votes Lost, Stolen, Miscounted |publisher= American Free Press |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="Evidence Mounts That The Vote May Have Been Hacked">{{cite web |url=http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1106-30.htm |title= Evidence Mounts That The Vote May Have Been Hacked |publisher= CommonDreams.org |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="Bush's 'Incredible' Vote Tallies">{{cite web |url=http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/110904.html |title= Bush's 'Incredible' Vote Tallies |publisher= consortiumnews.com |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref name="National Election Data Archive">{{cite web |url=http://uscountvotes.org/ |title= National Election Data Archive |publisher= ElectionArchive.org |accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref>
* ] and Andrew E. Busch. ''Red Over Blue: The 2004 Elections and American Politics'' (2005), narrative history.
* Freeman, Steven F. and ], Foreword by U.S. Representative John Conyers, Jr. ''Was the 2004 Presidential Election Stolen? Exit Polls, Election Fraud, and the Official Count'' (Seven Stories Press, 2006)
* ] and ], eds. ''The Values Campaign?: The Christian Right and the 2004 Elections'' (2006)
* ]. ''Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election'' (2005) –
* ] ''Divided States of America: The Slash And Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election'' (2005)
* ] and Thomas K. Hargrove, eds. ''The 21st-Century Voter: Who Votes, How They Vote, and Why They Vote'' (2 vol. 2015)


==New during this campaign== == Further reading ==
* {{Cite journal |last=Nordhaus |first=William |date=July 2006 |title=Electoral Victory and Statistical Defeat? Economics, Politics, and the 2004 Presidential Election |journal=] |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=313–322 |doi=10.1561/100.00000014 |authorlink=William Nordhaus}}
===International observers===
* {{Cite journal |last1=Baum |first1=Matthew A. |last2=Gussin |first2=Phil |date=March 2008 |title=In the Eye of the Beholder: How Information Shortcuts Shape Individual Perceptions of Bias in the Media |url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1563/39b8fbcb5729287f73481975c71101749ce6.pdf |journal=] |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=1–31 |doi=10.1561/100.00007010 |s2cid=144067126 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208121451/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1563/39b8fbcb5729287f73481975c71101749ce6.pdf |archive-date=February 8, 2020}}
At the invitation of the United States government, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (]) sent a team of observers to monitor the presidential elections in 2004. It was the first time the OSCE had sent observers to a U.S. presidential election, although they had been invited in the past.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/interactive/wilkinson_osce.html |title=Interactive White House Home Page |publisher=Whitehouse.gov |date= |accessdate=2008-11-03}}</ref> In September 2004 the OSCE issued a (PDF 168K) on U.S. electoral processes<ref>{{Dead link|date=September 2008}}</ref> and the election (PDF 256K). The report reads: "The November 2, 2004 elections in the United States mostly met the OSCE commitments included in the 1990 Copenhagen Document. They were conducted in an environment that reflects a long-standing democratic tradition, including institutions governed by the rule of law, free and generally professional media, and a civil society intensively engaged in the election process. There was exceptional public interest in the two leading presidential candidates and the issues raised by their respective campaigns, as well as in the election process itself."


== External links ==
Earlier, some 13 ] from the ] had sent a letter to ] Secretary-General ] asking for the UN to monitor the elections. The UN responded that such a request could only come from the official national executive. The move was met by considerable opposition from Republican lawmakers.<ref> August 6, 2004</ref> The OSCE is not affiliated with the United Nations.
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*


=== Official candidate websites ===
===Electronic voting===
{{further|]}}
For 2004, some states expedited the implementation of ] systems for the election, raising several issues:
* '''Software.''' Without proper testing and certification, critics believe ] machines could produce an incorrect report due to malfunction or deliberate manipulation.<ref></ref>
* '''Recounts.''' A recount of an electronic voting machine is not a recount in the traditional sense. The machine can be audited for irregularities and voting totals stored on multiple backup devices can be compared, but vote counts will not change.
* '''Partisan ties.''' Democrats noted the Republican or conservative ties of several leading executives in the companies providing the machines.<ref name = "Warner">Warner, Melanie. "" ''].'' November 9, 2003.</ref>

===Campaign law changes===
The 2004 election was the first to be affected by the ]s mandated by the ] (also known as the ]-] Bill for its sponsors in the ]). Because of the Act's restrictions on candidates' and parties' fundraising, a large number of so-called ]s emerged. Named for a section of the ], these groups were able to raise large amounts of money for various political causes as long as they do not coordinate their activities with political campaigns. Examples of 527s include ], ], the ], and ]. Many such groups were active throughout the campaign season. (There was some similar activity, although on a much lesser scale, during the 2000 campaign.)

To distinguish official campaigning from independent campaigning, political advertisements on television were required to include a verbal disclaimer identifying the organization responsible for the advertisement. Advertisements produced by political campaigns usually included the statement, “I'm '''', and I approve this message.” Advertisements produced by independent organizations usually included the statement, “ is responsible for the content of this advertisement,” and from September 3 (60 days before the general election), such organizations' ads were prohibited from mentioning any candidate by name. Previously, television advertisements only required a written “paid for by” disclaimer on the screen.

This law was not well known or widely publicized at the beginning of the Democratic primary season, which led to some early misperception of Howard Dean, who was the first candidate to buy television advertising in this election cycle. Not realizing that the law required the phrasing, some people viewing the ads reportedly questioned why Dean might say such a thing—such questions were easier to ask because of the maverick nature of Dean's campaign in general.

===Colorado's Amendment 36===
{{main|Colorado Amendment 36}}
A ballot initiative in ], known as ], would have changed the way in which the state apportions its electoral votes. Rather than assigning all 9 of the state's electors to the candidate with a ] of popular votes, under the amendment Colorado would have assigned presidential electors proportionally to the statewide vote count, which would be a unique system (] and ] assign electoral votes based on vote totals within each congressional district). Detractors claimed that this splitting would diminish Colorado's influence in the Electoral College, and the amendment ultimately failed, receiving only 34% of the vote.



==See also==
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

===Other elections===
*]
*]
*]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Sources==
*, a PDF file, with the latest, most final, and complete vote totals available.
*{{cite web | title=Presidential Results by Congressional District | publisher=Washington, D.C.: Polidata | work=Polidata | url=http://www.polidata.org/prcd | accessdate = 2005-07-29}}
*Barone, Michael J. ''The Almanac of American Politics: 2006'' (2005)
*Daclon, Corrado Maria, ''US elections and war on terrorism'' (2004), Analisi Difesa, no. 50
*Evan Thomas, Eleanor Clift, and Staff of Newsweek. ''Election 2004'' (2005)

===Books===
*''Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election'' (2005) - ], Basic Books
* ] and Joel Bleifuss, , (New York: Seven Stories Press, 2006)

==External links==
{{external links|date=August 2008}}
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| IS NOT A COLLECTION OF LINKS NOR SHOULD IT BE USED FOR ADVERTISING. |
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| Excessive or inappropriate links WILL BE DELETED. |
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| |
| If there are already plentiful links, please propose additions or |
| replacements on this article's discussion page, or submit your link |
| to the relevant category at the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org) |
| and link back to that category using the {{dmoz}} template. |
=========================({{NoMoreLinks}})=============================-->
===Official candidate websites===
<!--Alphabetical by last name--> <!--Alphabetical by last name-->
* * (archived version from the U.S. ] )
* (archived version from the U.S. ] )
*
* (archived version from the U.S. ] )
*
* (archived version from the U.S. ] )
*
* (archived version from the U.S. ] )
*
* {{Cite web |title=Michael Peroutka (Constitution) |url=http://www.peroutka2004.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041101033019/http://www.peroutka2004.com/ |archive-date=November 1, 2004 |access-date=September 25, 2007 }}
A website originally existed for George W. Bush's campaign, but after the election it was removed and the URL now redirects to the Republican Party website. The ] has . The other five candidates continued to run their campaign websites as personal sites.


===Election maps & analysis=== === Election maps and analysis ===
*
*
*
* - Michael Sheppard, Michigan State University
* *
* - Michael Gastner, ], and Mark Newman, University of Michigan * – Michael Gastner, ], and Mark Newman, University of Michigan
* - Professor Sam Wang, Princeton University (election.princeton.edu) * – Robert J. Vanderbei, Princeton University
* – Dave Liep
* - Robert J. Vanderbei, Princeton University
*
* - Dave Liep
*
*
*
*
*
* A chronicle of campaign news & commentary...]
*


===State-by-state forecasts of electoral vote outcome=== === State-by-state forecasts of electoral vote outcome ===
* - 98.2% accurate calls in 2,700 races since 1995 (Page not up as of 2007)
*
* *
* *
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130417065904/http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2004/president/electoratemap.php |date=April 17, 2013 }}
*
* {{Cite web |title=Race 2004 |url=http://race2004.net/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041102025028/http://race2004.net/ |archive-date=November 2, 2004 |access-date=June 7, 2012 }}
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*


===Controversies=== === Controversies ===
* *
* {{Cite web |date=October 31, 2004 |title=The Whoppers of 2004 |url=http://www.factcheck.org/article298.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041101093051/http://www.factcheck.org/article298.html |archive-date=November 1, 2004 |website=FactCheck |publisher=Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania}}
*
*
*
* October 5, 2007
* October 5, 2007


===Election campaign funding=== === Election campaign funding ===
* compiles data about who gives and who receives
* *


=== Campaign ads ===
===Election 2004 global debate and voting===
* *

*
*
*
===Minnesota electoral voting===
*
*
{{2004 U.S. presidential election}} {{2004 U.S. presidential election}}
{{State results of the 2004 U.S. presidential election}}
{{United States general elections, 2004}} {{United States general elections, 2004}}
{{United States presidential elections}}
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{{George W. Bush}}

{{Dick Cheney}}
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Latest revision as of 23:02, 8 January 2025

For related races, see 2004 United States elections.

2004 United States presidential election
← 2000 November 2, 2004 2008 →
538 members of the Electoral College
270 electoral votes needed to win
Opinion polls
Turnout60.1% Increase 5.9 pp
 
Nominee George W. Bush John Kerry
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Texas Massachusetts
Running mate Dick Cheney John Edwards
Electoral vote 286 251
States carried 31 19 + DC
Popular vote 62,040,610 59,028,444
Percentage 50.7% 48.3%
2004 United States presidential election in California2004 United States presidential election in Oregon2004 United States presidential election in Washington (state)2004 United States presidential election in Idaho2004 United States presidential election in Nevada2004 United States presidential election in Utah2004 United States presidential election in Arizona2004 United States presidential election in Montana2004 United States presidential election in Wyoming2004 United States presidential election in Colorado2004 United States presidential election in New Mexico2004 United States presidential election in North Dakota2004 United States presidential election in South Dakota2004 United States presidential election in Nebraska2004 United States presidential election in Kansas2004 United States presidential election in Oklahoma2004 United States presidential election in Texas2004 United States presidential election in Minnesota2004 United States presidential election in Iowa2004 United States presidential election in Missouri2004 United States presidential election in Arkansas2004 United States presidential election in Louisiana2004 United States presidential election in Wisconsin2004 United States presidential election in Illinois2004 United States presidential election in Michigan2004 United States presidential election in Indiana2004 United States presidential election in Ohio2004 United States presidential election in Kentucky2004 United States presidential election in Tennessee2004 United States presidential election in Mississippi2004 United States presidential election in Alabama2004 United States presidential election in Georgia2004 United States presidential election in Florida2004 United States presidential election in South Carolina2004 United States presidential election in North Carolina2004 United States presidential election in Virginia2004 United States presidential election in West Virginia2004 United States presidential election in the District of Columbia2004 United States presidential election in Maryland2004 United States presidential election in Delaware2004 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania2004 United States presidential election in New Jersey2004 United States presidential election in New York2004 United States presidential election in Connecticut2004 United States presidential election in Rhode Island2004 United States presidential election in Vermont2004 United States presidential election in New Hampshire2004 United States presidential election in Maine2004 United States presidential election in Massachusetts2004 United States presidential election in Hawaii2004 United States presidential election in Alaska2004 United States presidential election in the District of Columbia2004 United States presidential election in Maryland2004 United States presidential election in Delaware2004 United States presidential election in New Jersey2004 United States presidential election in Connecticut2004 United States presidential election in Rhode Island2004 United States presidential election in Massachusetts2004 United States presidential election in Vermont2004 United States presidential election in New Hampshire
Presidential election results map. Red denotes states won by Bush/Cheney and blue denotes those won by Kerry/Edwards. Light blue is the electoral vote for John Edwards by a Minnesota faithless elector. Numbers indicate electoral votes cast by each state and the District of Columbia.
President before election

George W. Bush
Republican

Elected President

George W. Bush
Republican

2004 U.S. presidential election
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Minor parties
Related races
← 2000 2004 2008 →

Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican President George W. Bush and his running mate, incumbent Vice President Dick Cheney, were re-elected to a second term. They narrowly defeated the Democratic ticket of John Kerry, a senator from Massachusetts, and his running mate John Edwards, a senator from North Carolina.

Bush and Cheney were renominated by their party with no difficulty. Former Vermont governor Howard Dean emerged as the early front-runner in the 2004 Democratic Party presidential primaries, but Kerry won the first set of primaries in January, and then clinched his party's nomination in March after a series of primary victories. Kerry chose Edwards, who was the runner-up in the primaries, to be his running mate. Foreign policy was the dominant theme throughout the election campaign, particularly Bush's handling of the war on terror and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Bush presented himself as a decisive leader and attacked Kerry as a "flip-flopper". Kerry criticized Bush's conduct of the Iraq War, despite having voted for it himself. Domestic issues were debated as well, including the economy and jobs, health care, abortion, same-sex marriage, and embryonic stem cell research.

Bush won by a narrow margin of 35 electoral votes and took 50.7% of the popular vote. Bush swept the South and the Mountain states and took the crucial swing states of Ohio, Iowa, and New Mexico, the last two flipping Republican. Although Kerry flipped New Hampshire, Bush won both more electoral votes and states than in 2000. Ohio was the tipping-point state, and was considered to be the state that allowed Bush to win reelection. Some aspects of the election process were subject to controversy, although not to the degree seen in the 2000 presidential election. Bush won Florida by a 5% margin, a significant improvement over his razor-thin victory margin in the state four years earlier which led to a legal challenge in Bush v. Gore. This was the first presidential election since 1988 where the Republican nominee won the popular vote, the last where they won a majority of the vote, and the last where they won the popular vote until 2024. It was also the first election since 1988 where any candidate received a majority of the popular vote. As of 2025, this was the most recent presidential election in which the winning candidate won fewer than 300 electoral votes. It is also the most recent in which the Republican candidate won Colorado, New Mexico and Virginia.

This remains the most recent presidential election in which both major party candidates flipped at least one state, and the only presidential election since 1984 in which the incumbent Republican president won a second consecutive term. At the time, Bush also received the most popular votes in history, a record which would be broken in the 2008 presidential election. This was the last time a Republican won the majority of the popular vote. Bush also became the only incumbent president to win reelection after previously losing the popular vote and was the only Republican to win the popular vote between 1992 and 2020. In addition, this was one of only two elections in the 21st century in which a candidate from either party won fewer than 20 states, with the other being 2024, where Kamala Harris also won only 19 states.

This is the earliest presidential election of which the presidential and vice presidential candidates of both major parties are still alive. Furthermore, this election is the most recent to date in which both major party tickets did not include a woman or person of color.

Background

George W. Bush won the presidency in 2000 after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore remanded the case to the Florida Supreme Court, which declared there was not sufficient time to hold a recount without violating the U.S. Constitution. Just eight months into his presidency, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, suddenly transformed Bush into a wartime president. Bush's approval ratings surged to near 90%. Within a month, the forces of a coalition led by the United States entered Afghanistan, which had been sheltering Osama bin Laden, suspected mastermind of the September 11 attacks. The Taliban had been removed by December, although a long reconstruction would follow.

The Bush administration then turned its attention to Iraq and argued the need to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq had become urgent. Among the stated reasons were that Saddam's regime had tried to acquire nuclear material and had not properly accounted for biological and chemical material it was known to have previously possessed. Both the possession of these weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and the failure to account for them, would violate the UN sanctions. The assertion about WMD was hotly advanced by the Bush administration from the beginning, but other major powers including China, France, Germany, and Russia remained unconvinced that Iraq was a threat and refused to allow passage of a UN Security Council resolution to authorize the use of force. Iraq permitted UN weapon inspectors in November 2002, who were continuing their work to assess the WMD claim when the Bush administration decided to proceed with war without UN authorization and told the inspectors to leave the country. The United States invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003, along with a "coalition of the willing" that consisted of additional troops from the United Kingdom, and to a lesser extent, from Australia and Poland. Within about three weeks, the invasion caused the collapse of both the Iraqi government and its armed forces; however, the U.S. and allied forces failed to find any weapon of mass destruction in Iraq. Nevertheless, on May 1, Bush landed on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, in a Lockheed S-3 Viking, where he gave a speech announcing the end of "major combat operations" in the Iraq War.

Nominations

Republican nomination

Main articles: George W. Bush 2004 presidential campaign, 2004 Republican Party presidential primaries, and 2004 Republican National Convention
This article is part of
a series aboutGeorge W. Bush
Business and personal
46th Governor of Texas
43rd President of the United States
Tenure
Policies
Appointments
Presidential campaigns
George W. Bush's signature Seal of the President of the United States
Republican Party (United States)
Republican Party (United States)
2004 Republican Party ticket
George W. Bush Dick Cheney
for President for Vice President
43rd
President of the United States
(2001–2009) 		46th
Vice President of the United States
(2001–2009)
Campaign

Bush was able to ward off any serious challenge to the Republican nomination. Senator Lincoln Chafee from Rhode Island considered challenging Bush on an anti-war platform in New Hampshire but decided not to run after the capture of Saddam Hussein in December 2003. On March 10, 2004, Bush officially attained the number of delegates needed to be nominated at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. He accepted the nomination on September 2, 2004, and retained Vice President Dick Cheney as his running mate. During the convention and throughout the campaign, Bush focused on two themes: defending America against terrorism and building an ownership society. The ownership society included allowing people to invest some of their Social Security in the stock market, increasing home and stock ownership, and encouraging more people to buy their own health insurance.

Democratic Party nomination

Main articles: John Kerry 2004 presidential campaign, 2004 Democratic Party presidential primaries, and 2004 Democratic National Convention
Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party (United States)
2004 Democratic Party ticket
John Kerry John Edwards
for President for Vice President
U.S. Senator
from Massachusetts
(1985–2013) 		U.S. Senator
from North Carolina
(1999–2005)
Campaign

Withdrawn candidates

Candidates in this section are sorted by popular vote from the primaries
John Edwards Howard Dean Dennis Kucinich Wesley Clark Al Sharpton Joe Lieberman Carol Moseley
Braun 		Dick Gephardt
 U.S. Senator from
North Carolina
(1999–2005) 		79th
Governor of Vermont
(1991–2003) 		U.S. Representative from Ohio
(1997–2013) 		Supreme Allied
Commander Europe
(1997–2000) 		Minister and Activist U.S. Senator
from Connecticut
(1989–2013) 		U.S. Senator
from Illinois
(1993–1999) 		House Minority Leader
(1995–2003)
Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign
W: March 2
3,162,337 votes 		W: Feb 18
903,460 votes 		W: July 22
620,242 votes 		W: Feb 11
547,369 votes 		W: March 15
380,865 votes 		W: Feb 3
280,940 votes 		W: Jan 15
98,469 votes 		W: Jan 20
63,902 votes

Democratic primaries

Senator Kerry at a primary rally in St. Louis, Missouri, at the St. Louis Community College – Forest Park

The 2004 Democratic Party presidential primaries took place from January 14 to June 8, 2004, to select the Democratic Party's nominee for president. Before the primaries, Vermont governor Howard Dean was a favorite to win the nomination; however, Massachusetts senator John Kerry won victories in two early races: the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. These wins strengthened Kerry's previously weak campaign. By March 11, Kerry had received enough delegates to win the nomination. Other major candidates included North Carolina senator John Edwards and retired U.S. Army general Wesley Clark. Kerry asked Republican senator John McCain to be his running mate but McCain turned down his offer. On July 6, Kerry selected Edwards as his running mate, shortly before the 2004 Democratic National Convention was held later that month in Boston.

Democratic National Convention

Heading into the convention, the Kerry–Edwards ticket unveiled its new slogan: a promise to make America "stronger at home and more respected in the world". Kerry made his Vietnam War experience the convention's prominent theme. The keynote address at the convention was delivered by Illinois state senator and U.S. Senate candidate and future president Barack Obama; the speech was well received, and it elevated Obama's status within the Democratic Party.

Other nominations

David Cobb, the Green Party candidate
Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik
See also: List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2004

There were four other presidential tickets on the ballot in a number of states totaling enough electoral votes to have a theoretical possibility of winning a majority in the Electoral College. They were:

Issues unique to the election

Electronic voting machines

Ahead of the 2004 election, some states implemented electronic voting systems. Critics raised several issues about voting machines, particularly those made by Diebold Election Systems. Cybersecurity professionals found security vulnerabilities in Diebold machines. Voting machines made by several companies were also criticized for their lack of a paper trail, which would have made results easier to verify. Democrats also criticized various executives at Diebold, Inc. (the parent company of Diebold Election Systems) for their support of Bush's campaign, stating that it constituted a conflict of interest. Following these issues, California banned the use of Diebold's AccuVote TSX voting machines for elections in 2004.

Campaign law changes

The 2004 election was the first to be affected by the campaign finance reforms mandated by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. The act created restrictions on fundraising by political parties and candidates. A large number of independent 527 groups were created to bypass these restrictions. Named for a section of the Internal Revenue Code, these groups were able to raise large amounts of money for various political causes as long as they did not coordinate their activities with political campaigns. Examples of 527s include Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, MoveOn.org, the Media Fund, and America Coming Together. These groups were active throughout the campaign season, spending a record $556 million for all elections in 2004.

The Stand by Your Ad provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act required political advertisements on television to include a verbal disclaimer identifying the organization or campaign responsible for the advertisement. This provision was intended to force campaigns to take responsibility for negative advertisements. Campaign strategists criticized this requirement, stating that it would waste time and cause voters to be confused.

General election campaign

Campaign issues

See also: Political positions of George W. Bush

Bush focused his campaign on national security, presenting himself as a decisive leader and contrasted Kerry as a "flip-flopper." This strategy was designed to convey to American voters the idea that Bush could be trusted to be tough on terrorism while Kerry would be "uncertain in the face of danger." In the final months before the election, Kerry's campaign focused on domestic issues such as the economy and health care. Kerry's campaign managers believed that Kerry had an advantage on domestic issues. Bush's campaign also focused on increasing voter turnout among conservatives. According to one exit poll, people who voted for Bush cited the issues of terrorism and traditional values as the most important factors in their decision. Kerry supporters cited the war in Iraq, the economy and jobs, and health care.

Bush speaking at campaign rally in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 19, 2004

Economy

See also: Economic policy of the George W. Bush administration

Tax cuts were passed in 2001 and 2003 under the Bush administration with Bush's support. Kerry voted against these tax cuts. During the 2004 campaign, Bush praised these tax cuts, stating that they helped to grow the economy. On the other hand, Kerry attacked Bush for failing to create jobs under his presidency. Kerry stated that he wanted to reduce the United States budget deficit by capping government spending while ending various tax breaks for businesses. Kerry also supported tax credits for businesses that hire additional workers. Bush attacked Kerry for his economic proposals, stating that they would cause Americans to pay higher taxes. Bush also attacked Kerry for previously supporting tax raises, such as a proposed increase on the federal gas tax.

Foreign policy

See also: Foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration

Bush defended the Iraq War, arguing that it was necessary to stop terrorism. He also said that the United States had made progress stopping terrorism in other nations. Bush attacked Kerry for opposing the Iraq War after voting to authorize it in 2002, characterizing the shift as one of many flip-flops by Kerry. Kerry argued that Bush had misled the American public in pursuing the Iraq War, noting that no illegal weapons had been found in Iraq. He said that the Iraq War was a mistake and a diversion from terrorism in other nations such as Afghanistan. After the election, exit polls found that foreign policy concerns were the most important issues for voters.

Health care

Health savings accounts (HSAs) were introduced in 2004 as part of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, signed by Bush in December 2003. As part of his 2004 campaign, Bush supported the expansion of HSAs. He proposed tax cuts to help Americans purchase their own health insurance. He also proposed a plan that would allow small businesses to purchase health insurance in large groups. Kerry's health care proposals included government subsidies for businesses that provide health insurance and the expansion of government-run health care programs. Health policy experts stated that Bush's proposals would have a more limited impact than Kerry's proposals. Kerry also attacked Bush for his policy on stem cell research. In 2001, the Bush administration restricted embryonic stem cell research to existing stem cell lines. Kerry stated that this restriction was a barrier to conducting important research.

Same-sex marriage

In July 2004, Bush announced his support for a Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, shortly before the Senate voted on the amendment. Although Kerry stated that he opposed same-sex marriage, he also opposed the amendment, saying that the legality of same-sex marriage should be decided by individual states. The Senate vote failed on July 14.

Controversies

Bush military service controversy

Main article: George W. Bush military service controversy

During the campaign, Bush was accused of failing to fulfill his required service in the Texas Air National Guard. A scandal occurred at CBS News after they aired a segment on 60 Minutes Wednesday, introducing what became known as the Killian documents. These documents were allegedly written by Jerry B. Killian, Bush's squadron commander, and they contained various allegations about Bush's service. Serious doubts about the documents' authenticity quickly emerged, leading CBS to appoint a review panel that eventually resulted in the firing of the news producer and other significant staffing changes. The Killian documents were eventually concluded to be forgeries.

Kerry military service controversy

Main article: John Kerry military service controversy

Kerry was accused by the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth of distorting his military service in Vietnam. The group challenged the legitimacy of each of the combat medals awarded to Kerry by the U.S. Navy, and the disposition of his discharge. The organization spent $22.4 million in advertisements against Kerry. After the election, political analysts described their advertising campaign as effective. The term swiftboating was used during the campaign to describe the organization's negative advertising, which Democrats saw as unfair. It was also used after the campaign to generally describe a harsh attack by a political opponent that is dishonest, personal and unfair.

Presidential debates

Neighboring yard signs for Bush and Kerry in Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Main article: 2004 United States presidential debates

Three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate were organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates, and held in the autumn of 2004.

Debates among candidates for the 2004 U.S. presidential election
No. Date Host City Moderators Participants Viewship

(Millions)

P1 Thursday, September 30, 2004 University of Miami Coral Gables, Florida Jim Lehrer President George W. Bush
Senator John Kerry 		62.4
VP Tuesday, October 5, 2004 Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio Gwen Ifill Vice President Dick Cheney
Senator John Edwards 		43.5
P2 Friday, October 8, 2004 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri Charles Gibson President George W. Bush
Senator John Kerry 		46.7
P3 Wednesday, October 13, 2004 Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona Bob Schieffer President George W. Bush
Senator John Kerry 		51.1
  • Map of United States showing debate locationsUniversity of Miami Coral Gables, FLUniversity of Miami
    Coral Gables, FL    Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OHCase Western Reserve University
    Cleveland, OH    Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MOWashington University in St. Louis
    St. Louis, MO    Arizona State University Tempe, AZArizona State University
    Tempe, AZ    class=notpageimage| Sites of the 2004 general election debatesThe first debate was held on September 30, slated to focus on foreign policy. A consensus formed among mainstream pollsters and pundits that Kerry won the debate decisively, strengthening what had come to be seen as a weak and troubled campaign.
  • On October 5, the vice presidential debate between Cheney and Edwards. An initial poll by ABC indicated a victory for Cheney, while polls by CNN and MSNBC gave it to Edwards.
  • The second presidential debate was conducted in a town meeting format, less formal than the first presidential debate. This debate saw Bush and Kerry taking questions on a variety of subjects from a local audience.
  • Bush and Kerry met for the third and final debate on October 13. 51 million viewers watched the debate. After Kerry, responding to a question about gay rights, reminded the audience that Vice President Cheney's daughter was a lesbian, Cheney responded with a statement calling himself "a pretty angry father" due to Kerry using Cheney's daughter's sexual orientation for his political purposes. Polls taken by Gallup in found that Kerry pulled ahead in October, but showed a tight race as the election drew to a close.

Osama bin Laden videotape

Main article: 2004 Osama bin Laden video

On October 29, four days before the election, excerpts of a video of Osama bin Laden addressing the American people were broadcast on al Jazeera. In his remarks, bin Laden mentions the September 11 attacks, and taunted Bush over his response to them. In the days following the video's release, Bush's lead over Kerry increased by several points.

Electoral College forecasts

Elections analysts and political pundits issue probabilistic forecasts of the composition of the Electoral College. These forecasts use a variety of factors to estimate the likelihood of each candidate winning the Electoral College electors for that state. Most election predictors use the following ratings:

  • "tossup": no advantage
  • "tilt" (used by some predictors): advantage that is not quite as strong as "lean"
  • "lean" or "leans": slight advantage
  • "likely": significant, but surmountable, advantage
  • "safe" or "solid": near-certain chance of victory

Below is a list of states considered by one or more forecast to be competitive; states that are deemed to be "safe" or "solid" by forecasters The Cook Political Report, The New York Times, and CNN.

State EVs New York Times
November 2,
2004 		538
November 2,
2004 		CNN
November 2,
2004
Arkansas 6 Likely R Likely R Lean R
Arizona 10 Likely R Likely R Lean R
Colorado 9 Likely R Lean R Lean R
Delaware 3 Likely D Likely D Lean D
Florida 27 Likely R Tossup Tossup
Iowa 7 Likely R (flip) Tossup Lean R (flip)
Maryland 11 Likely D Likely D Safe D
Maine 15 Likely D Lean D Lean D
Michigan 17 Likely D Lean D Lean D
Minnesota 10 Likely D Tossup Tossup
New Hampshire 3 Likely D (flip) Tossup Tossup
Missouri 11 Likely R Lean R Lean R
Nevada 5 Likely R Tossup Lean R
New Jersey 11 Likely D Likely D Lean D
New Mexico 5 Lean R (flip) Tossup Tossup
North Carolina 15 Likely R Lean R Safe R
Ohio 20 Lean D (flip) Tossup Tossup
Pennsylvania 21 Likely D Tossup Lean D
Oregon 7 Likely D Lean D Lean D
Tennessee 11 Likely R Lean R Safe R
Wisconsin 10 Likely R (flip) Tossup Tossup
West Virginia 5 Likely R Lean R Likely R
Virginia 13 Likely R Lean R Lean R

Timeline

Main article: Timeline of the 2004 United States presidential election

Results

Electoral results
Presidential candidate Party Home state Popular vote Electoral
vote 		Running mate
Count Percentage Vice-presidential candidate Home state Electoral vote
George W. Bush (incumbent) Republican Texas 62,040,610 50.73% 286 Dick Cheney (incumbent) Wyoming 286
John Kerry Democratic Massachusetts 59,028,444 48.27% 251 John Edwards North Carolina 251
"John Ewards" Democratic North Carolina 0 0.00% 1 John Edwards North Carolina 1
Ralph Nader Reform Connecticut 465,650 0.38% 0 Peter Camejo California 0
Michael Badnarik Libertarian Texas 397,265 0.32% 0 Richard Campagna Iowa 0
Michael Peroutka Constitution Maryland 143,630 0.12% 0 Chuck Baldwin Florida 0
David Cobb Green Texas 119,859 0.10% 0 Pat LaMarche Maine 0
Leonard Peltier Peace and Freedom Pennsylvania 27,607 0.02% 0 Janice Jordan California 0
Walt Brown Socialist Oregon 10,837 0.01% 0 Mary Alice Herbert Vermont 0
Róger Calero Socialist Workers New York 3,689 0.01% 0 Arrin Hawkins Minnesota 0
Thomas Harens Christian Freedom Minnesota 2,387 0.002% 0 Jennifer Ryan Minnesota 0
Other 50,652 0.04% — Other —
Total 122,295,345 100% 538 538
Needed to win 270 270

Source (Electoral and Popular Vote): Federal Elections Commission Electoral and Popular Vote Summary Voting age population: 215,664,000

Percent of voting age population casting a vote for president: 56.70%

One faithless elector from Minnesota cast an electoral vote for John Edwards (written as John Ewards) for president.
In Montana, Karen Sanchirico was listed on the ballot as Nader's running mate, not Camejo. In Alabama, Jan D. Pierce was Nader's running mate. In New York, Nader appeared on two distinct tickets, one with Camejo and one with Pierce.
Because Arrin Hawkins, then aged 28, was constitutionally ineligible to serve as vice president, Margaret Trowe replaced her on the ballot in some states. James Harris replaced Calero on certain other states' ballots.

Popular vote
Bush   50.73%
Kerry   48.27%
Nader   0.38%
Badnarik   0.32%
Peroutka   0.12%
Others   0.17%
Electoral vote
Bush   53.16%
Kerry   46.65%
Edwards   0.19%

Results by state

Of the 3,154 counties/districts/independent cities making returns, Bush won the most popular votes in 2,568 (81.42%) while Kerry carried 586 (18.58%). The following table records the official vote tallies for each state as reported by the official Federal Election Commission report. The column labeled "Margin" shows Bush's margin of victory over Kerry (the margin is negative for states and districts won by Kerry).

Legend
States/districts won by Kerry/Edwards
States/districts won by Bush/Cheney
† At-large results (for states that split electoral votes)
George W. Bush
Republican 		John Kerry
Democratic 		Ralph Nader
Independent / Reform 		Michael Badnarik
Libertarian 		Michael Peroutka
Constitution 		David Cobb
Green 		Others Margin Margin
Swing 		State Total
State EV # % EV # % EV # % EV # % EV # % EV # % EV # % EV # % % #
Alabama 9 1,176,394 62.46% 9 693,933 36.84% – 6,701 0.36% – 3,529 0.19% – 1,994 0.11% – 0 0.00% – 898 0.05% – 482,461 25.62% 10.70% 1,883,449 AL
Alaska 3 190,889 61.07% 3 111,025 35.52% – 5,069 1.62% – 1,675 0.54% – 2,092 0.67% – 1,058 0.34% – 790 0.25% – 79,864 25.55% −5.40% 312,598 AK
Arizona 10 1,104,294 54.87% 10 893,524 44.40% – 2,773 0.14% – 11,856 0.59% – 0 0.00% – 138 0.01% – 0 0.00% – 210,770 10.47% 4.18% 2,012,585 AZ
Arkansas 6 572,898 54.31% 6 469,953 44.55% – 6,171 0.58% – 2,352 0.22% – 2,083 0.20% – 1,488 0.14% – 0 0.00% – 102,945 9.76% 4.32% 1,054,945 AR
California 55 5,509,826 44.36% – 6,745,485 54.30% 55 21,213 0.17% – 50,165 0.40% – 26,645 0.21% – 40,771 0.33% – 27,747 0.22% – −1,235,659 −9.94% 1.85% 12,421,852 CA
Colorado 9 1,101,255 51.69% 9 1,001,732 47.02% – 12,718 0.60% – 7,664 0.36% – 2,562 0.12% – 1,591 0.07% – 2,808 0.13% – 99,523 4.67% −3.69% 2,130,330 CO
Connecticut 7 693,826 43.95% – 857,488 54.31% 7 12,969 0.82% – 3,367 0.21% – 1,543 0.10% – 9,564 0.61% – 12 0.00% – −163,662 −10.36% 7.10% 1,578,769 CT
Delaware 3 171,660 45.75% – 200,152 53.35% 3 2,153 0.57% – 586 0.16% – 289 0.08% – 250 0.07% – 100 0.03% – −28,492 −7.60% 5.47% 375,190 DE
District of Columbia 3 21,256 9.34% – 202,970 89.18% 3 1,485 0.65% – 502 0.22% – 0 0.00% – 737 0.32% – 636 0.28% – −181,714 −79.84% −3.64% 227,586 DC
Florida 27 3,964,522 52.10% 27 3,583,544 47.09% – 32,971 0.43% – 11,996 0.16% – 6,626 0.09% – 3,917 0.05% – 6,234 0.08% – 380,978 5.01% 5.00% 7,609,810 FL
Georgia 15 1,914,254 57.97% 15 1,366,149 41.37% – 2,231 0.07% – 18,387 0.56% – 580 0.02% – 228 0.01% – 46 0.00% – 548,105 16.60% 4.91% 3,301,875 GA
Hawaii 4 194,191 45.26% – 231,708 54.01% 4 0 0.00% – 1,377 0.32% – 0 0.00% – 1,737 0.40% – 0 0.00% – −37,517 −8.75% 9.59% 429,013 HI
Idaho 4 409,235 68.38% 4 181,098 30.26% – 1,115 0.19% – 3,844 0.64% – 3,084 0.52% – 58 0.01% – 13 0.00% – 228,137 38.12% −1.41% 598,447 ID
Illinois 21 2,345,946 44.48% – 2,891,550 54.82% 21 3,571 0.07% – 32,442 0.62% – 440 0.01% – 241 0.00% – 132 0.00% – −545,604 −10.34% 1.67% 5,274,322 IL
Indiana 11 1,479,438 59.94% 11 969,011 39.26% – 1,328 0.05% – 18,058 0.73% – 0 0.00% – 102 0.00% – 65 0.00% – 510,427 20.68% 5.05% 2,468,002 IN
Iowa 7 751,957 49.90% 7 741,898 49.23% – 5,973 0.40% – 2,992 0.20% – 1,304 0.09% – 1,141 0.08% – 1,643 0.11% – 10,059 0.67% 0.98% 1,506,908 IA
Kansas 6 736,456 62.00% 6 434,993 36.62% – 9,348 0.79% – 4,013 0.34% – 2,899 0.24% – 33 0.00% – 14 0.00% – 301,463 25.38% 4.58% 1,187,756 KS
Kentucky 8 1,069,439 59.55% 8 712,733 39.69% – 8,856 0.49% – 2,619 0.15% – 2,213 0.12% – 0 0.00% – 22 0.00% – 356,706 19.86% 4.73% 1,795,882 KY
Louisiana 9 1,102,169 56.72% 9 820,299 42.22% – 7,032 0.36% – 2,781 0.14% – 5,203 0.27% – 1,276 0.07% – 4,346 0.22% – 281,870 14.50% 6.83% 1,943,106 LA
Maine 2 330,201 44.58% – 396,842 53.57% 2 8,069 1.09% – 1,965 0.27% – 735 0.10% – 2,936 0.40% – 4 0.00% – −66,641 −8.99% −3.89% 740,752 ME
Maine-1 1 165,824 43.14% – 211,703 55.07% 1 4,004 1.04% – 1,047 0.27% – 346 0.09% – 1,468 0.38% – – – – −45,879 −11.93% −4.01% 384,392 ME1
Maine-2 1 164,377 46.13% – 185,139 51.95% 1 4,065 1.14% – 918 0.26% – 389 0.11% – 1,468 0.41% – – – – −20,762 −5.83% −3.96% 356,356 ME2
Maryland 10 1,024,703 42.93% – 1,334,493 55.91% 10 11,854 0.50% – 6,094 0.26% – 3,421 0.14% – 3,632 0.15% – 2,481 0.10% – −309,790 −12.98% 3.41% 2,386,678 MD
Massachusetts 12 1,071,109 36.78% – 1,803,800 61.94% 12 4,806 0.17% – 15,022 0.52% – 0 0.00% – 10,623 0.36% – 7,028 0.24% – −732,691 −25.16% 2.14% 2,912,388 MA
Michigan 17 2,313,746 47.81% – 2,479,183 51.23% 17 24,035 0.50% – 10,552 0.22% – 4,980 0.10% – 5,325 0.11% – 1,431 0.03% – −165,437 −3.42% 1.71% 4,839,252 MI
Minnesota 10 1,346,695 47.61% – 1,445,014 51.09% 9 18,683 0.66% – 4,639 0.16% – 3,074 0.11% – 4,408 0.16% – 5,874 0.21% – −98,319 −3.48% −1.08% 2,828,387 MN
Mississippi 6 684,981 59.45% 6 458,094 39.76% – 3,177 0.28% – 1,793 0.16% – 1,759 0.15% – 1,073 0.09% – 1,268 0.11% – 226,887 19.69% 2.77% 1,152,145 MS
Missouri 11 1,455,713 53.30% 11 1,259,171 46.10% – 1,294 0.05% – 9,831 0.36% – 5,355 0.20% – 0 0.00% – 0 0.00% – 196,542 7.20% 3.86% 2,731,364 MO
Montana 3 266,063 59.07% 3 173,710 38.56% – 6,168 1.37% – 1,733 0.38% – 1,764 0.39% – 996 0.22% – 11 0.00% – 92,353 20.51% −4.57% 450,445 MT
Nebraska 2 512,814 65.90% 2 254,328 32.68% – 5,698 0.73% – 2,041 0.26% – 1,314 0.17% – 978 0.13% – 1,013 0.13% – 258,486 33.22% 4.23% 778,186 NE
Nebraska-1 1 169,888 62.97% 1 96,314 35.70% – 2,025 0.75% – 656 0.24% – 405 0.15% – 453 0.17% – 30 0.01% – 73,574 27.27% 4.29% 269,771 NE1
Nebraska-2 1 153,041 60.24% 1 97,858 38.52% – 1,731 0.68% – 813 0.32% – 305 0.12% – 261 0.10% – 23 0.01% – 55,183 21.72% 3.32% 254,032 NE2
Nebraska-3 1 189,885 74.92% 1 60,156 23.73% – 1,942 0.77% – 572 0.23% – 604 0.24% – 264 0.10% – 29 0.01% – 129,729 51.19% 4.77% 253,452 NE3
Nevada 5 418,690 50.47% 5 397,190 47.88% – 4,838 0.58% – 3,176 0.38% – 1,152 0.14% – 853 0.10% – 3,688 0.44% – 21,500 2.59% −0.96% 829,587 NV
New Hampshire 4 331,237 48.87% – 340,511 50.24% 4 4,479 0.66% – 372 0.05% – 161 0.02% – 0 0.00% – 978 0.14% – −9,274 −1.37% −2.64% 677,738 NH
New Jersey 15 1,670,003 46.24% – 1,911,430 52.92% 15 19,418 0.54% – 4,514 0.12% – 2,750 0.08% – 1,807 0.05% – 1,769 0.05% – −241,427 −6.68% 9.15% 3,611,691 NJ
New Mexico 5 376,930 49.84% 5 370,942 49.05% – 4,053 0.54% – 2,382 0.31% – 771 0.10% – 1,226 0.16% – 0 0.00% – 5,988 0.79% 0.85% 756,304 NM
New York 31 2,962,567 40.08% – 4,314,280 58.37% 31 99,873 1.35% – 11,607 0.16% – 207 0.00% – 87 0.00% – 2,415 0.03% – −1,351,713 −18.29% 6.69% 7,391,036 NY
North Carolina 15 1,961,166 56.02% 15 1,525,849 43.58% – 1,805 0.05% – 11,731 0.34% – 0 0.00% – 108 0.00% – 348 0.01% – 435,317 12.44% −0.40% 3,501,007 NC
North Dakota 3 196,651 62.86% 3 111,052 35.50% – 3,756 1.20% – 851 0.27% – 514 0.16% – 0 0.00% – 9 0.00% – 85,599 27.36% −0.24% 312,833 ND
Ohio 20 2,859,768 50.81% 20 2,741,167 48.71% – 0 0.00% – 14,676 0.26% – 11,939 0.21% – 192 0.00% – 166 0.00% – 118,601 2.10% −1.40% 5,627,908 OH
Oklahoma 7 959,792 65.57% 7 503,966 34.43% – 0 0.00% – 0 0.00% – 0 0.00% – 0 0.00% – 0 0.00% – 455,826 31.14% 9.26% 1,463,758 OK
Oregon 7 866,831 47.19% – 943,163 51.35% 7 0 0.00% – 7,260 0.40% – 5,257 0.29% – 5,315 0.29% – 8,956 0.49% – −76,332 −4.16% −3.72% 1,836,782 OR
Pennsylvania 21 2,793,847 48.42% – 2,938,095 50.92% 21 2,656 0.05% – 21,185 0.37% – 6,318 0.11% – 6,319 0.11% – 1,170 0.02% – −144,248 −2.50% 1.67% 5,769,590 PA
Rhode Island 4 169,046 38.67% – 259,765 59.42% 4 4,651 1.06% – 907 0.21% – 339 0.08% – 1,333 0.30% – 1,093 0.25% – −90,719 −20.75% 8.33% 437,134 RI
South Carolina 8 937,974 57.98% 8 661,699 40.90% – 5,520 0.34% – 3,608 0.22% – 5,317 0.33% – 1,488 0.09% – 2,124 0.13% – 276,275 17.08% 1.14% 1,617,730 SC
South Dakota 3 232,584 59.91% 3 149,244 38.44% – 4,320 1.11% – 964 0.25% – 1,103 0.28% – 0 0.00% – 0 0.00% – 83,340 21.47% −1.26% 388,215 SD
Tennessee 11 1,384,375 56.80% 11 1,036,477 42.53% – 8,992 0.37% – 4,866 0.20% – 2,570 0.11% – 33 0.00% – 6 0.00% – 347,898 14.27% 10.41% 2,437,319 TN
Texas 34 4,526,917 61.09% 34 2,832,704 38.22% – 9,159 0.12% – 38,787 0.52% – 1,636 0.02% – 1,014 0.01% – 548 0.01% – 1,694,213 22.87% 1.54% 7,410,765 TX
Utah 5 663,742 71.54% 5 241,199 26.00% – 11,305 1.22% – 3,375 0.36% – 6,841 0.74% – 39 0.00% – 1,343 0.14% – 422,543 45.54% 5.05% 927,844 UT
Vermont 3 121,180 38.80% – 184,067 58.94% 3 4,494 1.44% – 1,102 0.35% – 0 0.00% – 0 0.00% – 1,466 0.47% – −62,887 −20.14% −10.20% 312,309 VT
Virginia 13 1,716,959 53.68% 13 1,454,742 45.48% – 2,393 0.07% – 11,032 0.34% – 10,161 0.32% – 104 0.00% – 2,976 0.09% – 262,217 8.20% 0.16% 3,198,367 VA
Washington 11 1,304,894 45.64% – 1,510,201 52.82% 11 23,283 0.81% – 11,955 0.42% – 3,922 0.14% – 2,974 0.10% – 1,855 0.06% – −205,307 −7.18% −1.60% 2,859,084 WA
West Virginia 5 423,778 56.06% 5 326,541 43.20% – 4,063 0.54% – 1,405 0.19% – 82 0.01% – 5 0.00% – 13 0.00% – 97,237 12.86% 6.54% 755,887 WV
Wisconsin 10 1,478,120 49.32% – 1,489,504 49.70% 10 16,390 0.55% – 6,464 0.22% – 0 0.00% – 2,661 0.09% – 3,868 0.13% – −11,384 −0.38% −0.16% 2,997,007 WI
Wyoming 3 167,629 68.86% 3 70,776 29.07% – 2,741 1.13% – 1,171 0.48% – 631 0.26% – 0 0.00% – 480 0.20% – 96,853 39.79% −0.27% 243,428 WY
U.S Total 538 62,040,610 50.73% 286 59,028,444 48.27% 251 465,151 0.38% – 397,265 0.32% – 143,630 0.12% – 119,859 0.10% – 99,887 0.08% – 3,012,166 2.46% 2.98% 122,294,846 US

Although Guam has no votes in the Electoral College, it has held a straw poll for its presidential preference since 1980. In 2004, the results were Bush 21,490 (64.1%), Kerry 11,781 (35.1%), Nader 196 (0.58%) and Badnarik 67 (0.2%). Maine and Nebraska each allowed for their electoral votes to be split between candidates. In both states, two electoral votes were awarded to the winner of the statewide race and one electoral vote was awarded to the winner of each congressional district.

States that flipped Democratic to Republican

States that flipped Republican to Democratic

Close states

Red font color denotes those won by Republican President George W. Bush; blue denotes states won by Democrat John Kerry.

States where margin of victory was under 1% (22 electoral votes):

  1. Wisconsin 0.38% (11,384 votes)
  2. Iowa 0.67% (10,059 votes)
  3. New Mexico 0.79% (5,988 votes)

States where margin of victory was more than 1% but less than 5% (93 electoral votes):

  1. New Hampshire 1.37% (9,274 votes)
  2. Ohio 2.10% (118,601 votes) (tipping point state)
  3. Pennsylvania 2.50% (144,248 votes)
  4. Nevada 2.59% (21,500 votes)
  5. Michigan 3.42% (165,437 votes)
  6. Minnesota 3.48% (98,319 votes)
  7. Oregon 4.16% (76,332 votes)
  8. Colorado 4.67% (99,523 votes)

States where margin of victory was more than 5% but less than 10% (149 electoral votes):

  1. Florida 5.01% (380,978 votes)
  2. Maine's 2nd Congressional District 5.83% (20,762 votes)
  3. New Jersey 6.68% (241,427 votes)
  4. Washington 7.18% (205,307 votes)
  5. Missouri 7.20% (196,542 votes)
  6. Delaware 7.60% (28,492 votes)
  7. Virginia 8.20% (262,217 votes)
  8. Hawaii 8.75% (37,517 votes)
  9. Maine 8.99% (66,641 votes)
  10. Arkansas 9.76% (102,945 votes)
  11. California 9.94% (1,235,659 votes)

Statistics

Counties with highest percent of vote (Republican)

  1. Ochiltree County, Texas 91.97%
  2. Madison County, Idaho 91.89%
  3. Glasscock County, Texas 91.56%
  4. Roberts County, Texas 90.93%
  5. Arthur County, Nebraska 90.23%

Counties with highest percent of vote (Democratic)

  1. Washington, D.C. 89.18%
  2. Shannon County, South Dakota 84.62%
  3. City and County of San Francisco, California 83.02%
  4. Macon County, Alabama 82.92%
  5. Bronx County, New York 82.80%

Finance

These maps show the amount of attention given by the campaigns to the close states. At left, each waving hand represents a visit from a presidential or vice-presidential candidate during the final five weeks. At right, each dollar sign represents one million dollars spent on TV advertising by the campaigns during the same time period.

Money spent

Source: FEC

Ballot access

Presidential ticket Party Ballot access
Bush / Cheney Republican 50+DC
Kerry / Edwards Democratic 50+DC
Badnarik / Campagna Libertarian 48+DC
Peroutka / Baldwin Constitution 36
Nader / Camejo Independent, Reform 34+DC
Cobb / LaMarche Green 27+DC

2004 United States Electoral College

Main article: List of 2004 United States presidential electors

One elector in Minnesota cast a ballot for president with the name of "John Ewards" [sic] written on it. The Electoral College officials certified this ballot as a vote for Edwards for president. The remaining nine electors cast ballots for Kerry. All ten electors in the state cast ballots for Edwards for vice president (Edwards's name was spelled correctly on all ballots for vice president). This was the first time in U.S. history that an elector had cast a vote for the same person to be both president and vice president. Electoral balloting in Minnesota was performed by secret ballot, and none of the electors admitted to casting the Edwards vote for president, so it may never be known who the faithless elector was. It is not even known whether the vote for Edwards was deliberate or unintentional; the Republican Secretary of State and several of the Democratic electors have expressed the opinion that this was an accident.

Statistical analysis

Cheney visited Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania on October 27, 2004

During the campaign and as the results came in on the night of the election, there was much focus on Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. These three swing states were seen as evenly divided, and with each casting 20 electoral votes or more, they had the power to decide the election. As the final results came in, Kerry took Pennsylvania and then Bush took Florida, focusing all attention on Ohio.

Bush in the Oval Office, receiving a concession phone call from Kerry, which came the afternoon of the day following the election

The morning after the election, the winner was still undetermined. The result in Ohio would decide the winner, although the results in New Mexico and Iowa were also undetermined. Bush led in Ohio, but the state was still counting provisional ballots. In the afternoon of the day after the election, Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell announced that there were roughly 135,000 provisional ballots remaining. Kerry's campaign believed that it was statistically impossible to erase Bush's lead. Faced with this announcement, Kerry conceded defeat.

Bush became the first Republican to ever win without carrying New Hampshire, and the first to win the popular vote without Vermont and Illinois. This was the last time a president was re-elected to a consecutive term with a higher share of the electoral vote. Bush carried Colorado despite the state being Kerry's birth state. Bush simultaneously lost his own birth state of Connecticut, making this the only election since 1864 where neither candidate carried their birth state. This election was the first time since 1976 that New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, Illinois, Michigan, and California voted for the losing candidate in the popular vote, as well as the first since 1980 that Maryland did so, and the first since 1948 that Delaware did so. Bush's 2.4% popular vote margin is the smallest ever for a re-elected incumbent president surpassing the 1812 election.

Bush won three states that have not voted Republican since: Virginia, Colorado, and New Mexico. Virginia had voted Republican in every election from 1968 to 2004 but conversely has voted Democratic in every election since 2008. In contrast, this is the last election in which the losing candidate won any of the following states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This is also the last time a Republican was elected without carrying Maine's 2nd congressional district. This election is the only time in history that every Northeastern state voted Democratic and every former Confederate state voted Republican in the same election. Thus, Bush is the only candidate to win without carrying any Northeastern electoral votes. Furthermore, this was the last election where both major party tickets consisted entirely of white men. This is also the last election where both parties flipped states and is also the most recent year when an incumbent candidate from either party would flip any states, with Bush taking the two which he did not win in 2000, in both New Mexico and Iowa.

Until 2024, this was the last time Nevada voted for the Republican presidential candidate, and the only presidential election since 1988 in which the Republican nominee won the popular vote, and it remains the only presidential election since 1984 in which the incumbent Republican president won a second consecutive term. Bush also became the only incumbent president to win immediate re-election after previously losing the popular vote. Bush is the seventh Republican to have won re-election to a consecutive term, along with Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, William McKinley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan. The 2004 election had the highest turnout rate among eligible voters since 1968. This is one of only four U.S. presidential elections in which the winner did not carry any of the three Rust Belt states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin; the others were 2000, 1916 and 1884.

  • Presidential electoral votes by state. Red is Republican; blue is Democratic. Presidential electoral votes by state. Red is Republican; blue is Democratic.
  • Presidential popular votes by county. Presidential popular votes by county.
  • Presidential popular votes by county as a scale from red/Republican to blue/Democratic. Presidential popular votes by county as a scale from red/Republican to blue/Democratic.
  • Presidential popular votes cartogram, in which the sizes of counties have been rescaled according to their population. Presidential popular votes cartogram, in which the sizes of counties have been rescaled according to their population.
  • Cartogram in which each square represents one electoral vote. Cartogram in which each square represents one electoral vote.
  • Results by county, shaded according to winning candidate's percentage of the vote. Results by county, shaded according to winning candidate's percentage of the vote.
  • County swing from 2000 to 2004 County swing from 2000 to 2004
  • Results by congressional district. Results by congressional district.

Voter demographics

2004 presidential vote by demographic subgroup
Demographic subgroup Kerry Bush Other % of
total vote
Total vote 48 51 1 100
Ideology
Liberals 86 13 1 21
Moderates 54 45 1 45
Conservatives 15 84 1 34
Party
Democrats 89 11 0 37
Republicans 6 93 1 37
Independents 49 48 3 26
Gender
Men 44 55 1 46
Women 51 48 1 54
Marital status
Married 42 57 1 63
Non-married 58 40 2 37
Race
White 41 58 1 77
Black 88 11 1 11
Asian 56 43 1 2
Other 56 40 4 2
Hispanic 54 44 2 8
Religion
Protestant 40 59 1 54
Catholic 47 52 1 27
Jewish 74 25 1 3
Muslim 93 <1 >6 1
Other 74 23 3 7
None 67 31 2 10
Religious service attendance
More than weekly 35 64 1 16
Weekly 41 58 1 26
Monthly 49 50 1 14
A few times a year 54 45 1 28
Never 62 36 2 15
White evangelical or born-again Christian?
White evangelical or born-again Christian 21 78 1 23
Everyone else 56 43 1 77
Age
18–29 years old 54 45 1 17
30–44 years old 46 53 1 29
45–59 years old 48 51 1 30
60 and older 46 54 0 24
First time voter?
First time voter 53 46 1 11
Everyone else 48 51 1 89
Sexual orientation
Gay, lesbian, or bisexual 77 22 1 4
Heterosexual 46 53 1 96
Education
Not a high school graduate 50 49 1 4
High school graduate 47 52 1 22
Some college education 46 54 0 32
College graduate 46 52 2 26
Postgraduate education 55 44 1 16
Family income
Under $15,000 63 36 1 8
$15,000–30,000 57 42 1 15
$30,000–50,000 50 49 1 22
$50,000–75,000 43 56 1 23
$75,000–100,000 45 55 0 14
$100,000–150,000 42 57 1 11
$150,000–200,000 42 58 0 4
Over $200,000 35 63 2 3
Union households
Union 59 40 1 24
Non-union 44 55 1 76
Military service
Veterans 41 57 2 18
Non-veterans 50 49 1 82
Issue regarded as most important
Moral values 18 80 2 22
Economy 80 18 2 20
Terrorism 14 86 0 19
Iraq 73 26 1 15
Health care 77 23 0 8
Taxes 43 57 0 5
Education 73 26 1 4
Region
Northeast 56 43 1 22
Midwest 48 51 1 26
South 42 58 0 32
West 50 49 1 20
Community size
Urban 54 45 1 30
Suburban 47 52 1 46
Rural 42 57 1 25

Source: CNN exit poll (13,660 surveyed)

Aftermath

This is one of only two U.S. presidential elections, held since the Democrats and Republicans became the two major parties in U.S. politics, in which the winner did not carry any of the three Rust Belt states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin; the other was 2000, when Bush was first elected.

Voting problems in Ohio

After the election, activists and election scholars criticized various issues with the election in Ohio. Long lines at polling places over seven hours were reported. An electronic voting machine erroneously gave thousands of extra votes to Bush. Professor Edward B. Foley stated that he believed that Ohio's voting problems did not affect the outcome.

Objections and conspiracy theories

Main article: 2004 United States election voting controversies
This section may present fringe theories, without giving appropriate weight to the mainstream view and explaining the responses to the fringe theories. Please help improve it or discuss the issue on the talk page. (January 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Map of election day problems reported to the Election Incident Reporting System

After the election, many blogs published false rumors claiming to show evidence that voter fraud had prevented Kerry from winning. Although the overall result of the election was not challenged by the Kerry campaign, Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb and Libertarian Party presidential candidate Michael Badnarik obtained a recount in Ohio. This recount was completed December 28, 2004, although on January 24, 2007, a jury convicted two Ohio elections officials of selecting precincts to recount where they already knew the hand total would match the machine total, thereby avoiding having to perform a full recount. Independent candidate Ralph Nader obtained a recount in 11 New Hampshire precincts that used Accuvote voting machines.

At the official counting of the electoral votes on January 6, an objection was made under the Electoral Count Act (now 3 U.S.C. § 15) to Ohio's electoral votes. Because the motion was supported by at least one member of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the law required that the two houses separate to debate and vote on the objection. In the House of Representatives, the objection was supported by 31 Democrats. It was opposed by 178 Republicans, 88 Democrats and one independent. Not voting were 52 Republicans and 80 Democrats. Four people elected to the House had not yet taken office, and one seat was vacant. In the Senate, it was supported only by its maker, Barbara Boxer, with 74 senators opposed and 25 not voting. During the debate, no Senator argued that the outcome of the election should be changed by either court challenge or revote. Boxer claimed that she had made the motion not to challenge the outcome but "to cast the light of truth on a flawed system which must be fixed now".

Kerry would later state that "the widespread irregularities make it impossible to know for certain that the outcome reflected the will of the voters". In the same article, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said: "I'm not confident that the election in Ohio was fairly decided... We know that there was substantial voter suppression, and the machines were not reliable. It should not be a surprise that the Republicans are willing to do things that are unethical to manipulate elections. That's what we suspect has happened."

See also

Other elections

Notes

  1. One Minnesota elector voted for Edwards for both president and vice president.
  2. Percentage point difference in margin from the 2000 election
  3. ^ Alaska and Louisiana do not have counties. Alaska's boroughs and census areas and Louisiana's parishes are pictured.

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Sources

Books

  • Ceaser, James W. and Andrew E. Busch. Red Over Blue: The 2004 Elections and American Politics (2005), narrative history.
  • Freeman, Steven F. and Joel Bleifuss, Foreword by U.S. Representative John Conyers, Jr. Was the 2004 Presidential Election Stolen? Exit Polls, Election Fraud, and the Official Count (Seven Stories Press, 2006)
  • Green, John C. and Mark J. Rozell, eds. The Values Campaign?: The Christian Right and the 2004 Elections (2006)
  • Miller, Mark Crispin. Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election (2005) –
  • Sabato, Larry J. Divided States of America: The Slash And Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election (2005)
  • Stempel III, Guido H. and Thomas K. Hargrove, eds. The 21st-Century Voter: Who Votes, How They Vote, and Why They Vote (2 vol. 2015)

Further reading

External links

Official candidate websites

Election maps and analysis

State-by-state forecasts of electoral vote outcome

Controversies

Election campaign funding

Campaign ads

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