| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | D | 7,992 | 6,034 | 14,423 | |
| 2020 | D | 7,160 | 6,222 | 13,717 | |
| 2016 | R | 4,888 | 5,391 | 11,250 | |
| 2012 | D | 5,086 | 5,070 | 10,462 | |
| 2008 | R | 4,861 | 4,873 | 9,920 | |
| 2004 | R | 3,766 | 4,875 | 8,770 | |
| 2000 | R | 2,768 | 4,300 | 7,610 | |
| 1996 | R | 2,768 | 3,052 | 6,515 | |
| 1992 | R | 2,284 | 2,419 | 6,282 | |
| 1988 | R | 2,548 | 3,080 | 5,714 | |
| 1984 | R | 1,779 | 3,680 | 5,550 | |
| 1980 | R | 1,583 | 3,327 | 5,478 | |
| 1976 | R | 2,064 | 2,925 | 5,162 | |
| 1972 | R | 1,354 | 2,859 | 4,291 | |
| 1968 | R | 1,667 | 2,121 | 4,153 | |
| 1964 | D | 2,463 | 1,476 | 3,951 | |
| 1960 | R | 1,918 | 2,094 | 4,016 | |
| 1956 | R | 1,303 | 2,284 | 3,587 | |
| 1952 | R | 1,643 | 2,171 | 3,829 | |
| 1948 | D | 2,065 | 1,476 | 3,580 | |
| 1944 | D | 1,731 | 1,675 | 3,430 | |
| 1940 | D | 2,153 | 1,933 | 4,121 | |
| 1936 | D | 2,447 | 1,069 | 3,664 | |
| 1932 | D | 2,393 | 1,061 | 3,628 | |
| 1928 | R | 1,230 | 1,880 | 3,160 | |
| 1924 | R | 612 | 1,336 | 3,078 | |
| 1920 | R | 1,233 | 1,501 | 2,837 | |
| 1916 | D | 2,546 | 864 | 3,513 | |
| 1912 | D | 1,641 | 723 | 3,395 | |
| 1908 | D | 1,679 | 1,233 | 3,225 | |
| 1904 | R | 1,601 | 1,611 | 3,435 | |
| 1900 | D | 1,890 | 1,033 | 3,002 | |
| 1896 | D | 2,606 | 141 | 2,762 | |
| 1892 | R | 0 | 678 | 1,690 | |
| 1888 | R | 941 | 1,277 | 2,272 | |
| 1884 | R | 986 | 1,142 | 2,136 | |
| 1880 | D | 1,188 | 1,135 | 2,340 | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
Chaffee County, anchored by Salida and Buena Vista along the Arkansas River, swung Democratic by nearly 14 points in 2024—an unusually strong margin for a rural Colorado county shaped by outdoor recreation and in-migration from urban Colorado.
The Democratic margin in Chaffee County has rarely exceeded eighty-nine points in modern history; the Republican margin has rarely exceeded forty points. 2024 delivered the county to the Democratic candidate by fourteen points.
Chaffee County's demographics resemble the country more than they resemble most counties. A 87% non-Hispanic-white share, a 8% poverty rate, and a median household income of $84,132 — all within the broad national range. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Deschutes County and Newton County.