Mercer, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Mercer, 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 38.9 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 | 4,400 | 52.9% | 8.6 pts (712 votes) | 8,318 | — | 3.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 4,512 | 50.3% | 1.2 pts (107 votes) | 8,974 | -7.6 pts | 9.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 4,887 | 55.2% | 11.9 pts (1,054 votes) | 8,848 | +10.9 pts | 13.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 4,507 | 52.8% | 7.4 pts (631 votes) | 8,534 | -4.6 pts | 9.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 4,807 | 56.4% | 20.4 pts (1,736 votes) | 8,525 | -29.6 pts | 40.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,418 | 60.9% | 24.0 pts (2,138 votes) | 8,893 | -2.5 pts | 41.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,215 | 62.5% | 27.1 pts (2,265 votes) | 8,346 | -3.2 pts | 38.9 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 | 16,937 | 49.1% of population |
| 2004 | 16,795 | 53.4% of population |
| 2008 | 16,650 | 53.1% of population |
| 2012 | 16,163 | 52.8% of population |
| 2016 | 15,602 | 54.6% of population |
| 2020 | 15,632 | 56.9% of population |
| 2024 | 15,292 | 54.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Mercer shifted 36.5 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
Mercer 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 Mercer voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Mercer 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 Mercer?
Mercer's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 1.2 points (107 votes) out of 8,974 total votes cast.
Has Mercer ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Mercer 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 Mercer?
The widest margin on record for Mercer was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 27.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Mercer relative to its population?
In 2024, 8,346 votes were recorded in Mercer against a total population of 15,292 (54.6% 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 Mercer a presidential bellwether county?
Mercer 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%).