Coles, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Coles, Illinois has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 40.1 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 | 10,495 | 52.2% | 7.9 pts (1,591 votes) | 20,093 | — | 20.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 13,015 | 57.1% | 15.1 pts (3,449 votes) | 22,780 | -7.1 pts | 25.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 11,716 | 50.8% | 3.2 pts (738 votes) | 23,076 | +18.5 pts | 22.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 11,631 | 54.5% | 11.1 pts (2,369 votes) | 21,358 | -14.6 pts | 28.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 13,003 | 59.5% | 26.0 pts (5,694 votes) | 21,863 | -16.7 pts | 46.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 14,037 | 62.1% | 26.4 pts (5,970 votes) | 22,606 | +1.0 pts | 44.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 13,606 | 63.3% | 28.4 pts (6,111 votes) | 21,507 | -2.0 pts | 40.1 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 | 53,114 | 37.8% of population |
| 2004 | 53,182 | 42.8% of population |
| 2008 | 53,454 | 43.2% of population |
| 2012 | 53,318 | 40.1% of population |
| 2016 | 51,783 | 42.2% of population |
| 2020 | 47,084 | 48.0% of population |
| 2024 | 46,423 | 46.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Coles shifted 20.8 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
Coles has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 1 of 7 (14%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Illinois Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Coles voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Coles has voted Democratic in 1 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 6 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Coles?
Coles's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 3.3 points (738 votes) out of 23,076 total votes cast.
Has Coles ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Coles changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Coles?
The widest margin on record for Coles was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 29.0 points.
How many votes were cast in Coles relative to its population?
In 2024, 21,507 votes were recorded in Coles against a total population of 46,423 (46.3% 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 Coles a presidential bellwether county?
Coles has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 1 of 7 (14%).