| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | D | 3,534 | 3,265 | 6,953 | |
| 2020 | D | 3,647 | 3,393 | 7,202 | |
| 2016 | D | 3,077 | 2,932 | 6,521 | |
| 2012 | D | 4,043 | 2,610 | 6,820 | |
| 2008 | D | 4,174 | 2,636 | 6,969 | |
| 2004 | D | 4,212 | 2,769 | 7,071 | |
| 2000 | D | 3,579 | 2,465 | 6,563 | |
| 1996 | D | 3,388 | 1,684 | 6,029 | |
| 1992 | D | 3,415 | 1,465 | 6,357 | |
| 1988 | D | 3,887 | 1,838 | 5,775 | |
| 1984 | D | 4,468 | 2,003 | 6,529 | |
| 1980 | D | 3,864 | 2,414 | 6,931 | |
| 1976 | D | 3,973 | 2,313 | 6,599 | |
| 1972 | D | 3,640 | 2,575 | 6,327 | |
| 1968 | D | 4,266 | 1,351 | 5,891 | |
| 1964 | D | 4,704 | 1,205 | 5,925 | |
| 1960 | D | 3,888 | 2,276 | 6,180 | |
| 1956 | D | 3,079 | 2,055 | 5,143 | |
| 1952 | D | 2,814 | 1,451 | 4,289 | |
| 1948 | D | 2,555 | 924 | 3,729 | |
| 1944 | D | 2,401 | 792 | 3,239 | |
| 1940 | D | 2,750 | 933 | 3,733 | |
| 1936 | D | 2,717 | 617 | 3,390 | |
| 1932 | R | 1,059 | 1,290 | 3,002 | |
| 1928 | R | 618 | 2,014 | 2,765 | |
| 1924 | R | 60 | 1,251 | 2,683 | |
| 1920 | R | 594 | 990 | 2,419 | |
| 1916 | D | 506 | 401 | 1,327 | |
| 1912 | D | 195 | 182 | 1,266 | |
| 1908 | R | 152 | 584 | 1,140 | |
| 1904 | R | 77 | 603 | 894 | |
| 1900 | R | 278 | 639 | 954 | |
| 1896 | R | 320 | 595 | 929 | |
| 1892 | D | 290 | 126 | 483 | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
Lake County hugs Minnesota's North Shore and relies heavily on tourism and remnant mining employment. Its small, predominantly white rural electorate has drifted steadily rightward over the past decade while still landing just inside the Democratic column in 2024.
The Democratic margin in Lake County reached its widest at sixty-two points in 1936. The margin in 2024 was four points — still decisive.
Lake County's loyalty is rooted in its place. Median household income of $75,541, a 95% non-Hispanic-white share, and a population of 10,879 together describe a community whose political habits are deeply settled. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Deer Lodge County and Carlton County.
