Knox, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Knox, Illinois has voted Democratic in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 20.7 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 12,572 | 54.3% | 11.5 pts (2,660 votes) | 23,174 | — | 0.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 13,403 | 54.2% | 9.3 pts (2,292 votes) | 24,708 | -2.5 pts | 1.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 14,191 | 59.2% | 19.9 pts (4,772 votes) | 23,988 | +10.9 pts | 5.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 13,451 | 57.8% | 17.4 pts (4,043 votes) | 23,278 | -2.5 pts | 0.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 10,737 | 48.3% | 2.9 pts (654 votes) | 22,243 | -20.8 pts | 21.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 12,009 | 51.9% | 5.6 pts (1,306 votes) | 23,143 | -2.6 pts | 23.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 11,917 | 53.7% | 9.4 pts (2,079 votes) | 22,191 | -3.8 pts | 20.7 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 | 55,783 | 41.5% of population |
| 2004 | 53,909 | 45.8% of population |
| 2008 | 52,836 | 45.4% of population |
| 2012 | 52,302 | 44.5% of population |
| 2016 | 50,917 | 43.7% of population |
| 2020 | 49,806 | 46.5% of population |
| 2024 | 48,716 | 45.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Knox shifted 21.4 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
Knox has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Illinois Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Knox voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Knox has voted Democratic in 4 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 3 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Knox?
Knox's closest recorded margin was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 3.1 points (654 votes) out of 22,243 total votes cast.
Has Knox ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Knox changed which party won the county in: 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Knox?
The widest margin on record for Knox was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 20.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Knox relative to its population?
In 2024, 22,191 votes were recorded in Knox against a total population of 48,716 (45.6% 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 Knox a presidential bellwether county?
Knox has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).