Clay, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Clay, Illinois has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 79.5 pts more Rep. than Illinois overall.
Jump to year: 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024
Full Election History, 2000–2024
| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Margin | Total Votes Cast | Swing | Vs. Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 3,789 | 61.8% | 25.7 pts (1,577 votes) | 6,135 | — | 38.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 4,416 | 67.4% | 35.3 pts (2,315 votes) | 6,554 | -9.2 pts | 45.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 3,926 | 60.8% | 23.3 pts (1,501 votes) | 6,454 | +11.9 pts | 49.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 4,190 | 70.9% | 44.1 pts (2,606 votes) | 5,908 | -21.5 pts | 62.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 5,021 | 79.1% | 63.0 pts (4,001 votes) | 6,350 | -21.1 pts | 84.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,629 | 81.7% | 65.3 pts (4,500 votes) | 6,886 | -0.4 pts | 83.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,610 | 82.9% | 67.3 pts (4,556 votes) | 6,769 | -1.8 pts | 79.5 pts more Rep. |
Population Context
Total Census Bureau population estimate for the county that year, and recorded votes as a share of that total population. This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
| Year | County Population | Votes Cast (% of Population) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14,409 | 42.6% of population |
| 2004 | 14,142 | 46.3% of population |
| 2008 | 13,971 | 46.2% of population |
| 2012 | 13,714 | 43.1% of population |
| 2016 | 13,314 | 47.7% of population |
| 2020 | 13,273 | 51.9% of population |
| 2024 | 12,821 | 52.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Clay shifted 42.1 points toward the Republican candidate, based on recorded county returns. This reflects the vote totals in this dataset only; no claim is made here about the causes of that shift.
Margin Over Time
Democratic candidate's margin (percentage points, two-party vote share). Positive values favor the Democratic candidate; negative values favor the Republican candidate.
Bellwether Status
Clay has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Illinois Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Clay voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Clay has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Clay?
Clay's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 23.6 points (1,501 votes) out of 6,454 total votes cast.
Has Clay ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Clay has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Clay?
The widest margin on record for Clay was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 68.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Clay relative to its population?
In 2024, 6,769 votes were recorded in Clay against a total population of 12,821 (52.8% of the total population). This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
Is Clay a presidential bellwether county?
Clay has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%).