Putnam, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Putnam, 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 34.4 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 | 1,657 | 52.1% | 6.9 pts (220 votes) | 3,179 | — | 5.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 1,704 | 50.8% | 2.4 pts (81 votes) | 3,352 | -4.7 pts | 8.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 1,900 | 56.9% | 15.6 pts (522 votes) | 3,337 | +13.5 pts | 9.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 1,559 | 49.7% | 1.8 pts (57 votes) | 3,135 | -14.1 pts | 15.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 1,767 | 56.8% | 19.9 pts (620 votes) | 3,111 | -23.1 pts | 39.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 1,993 | 58.8% | 19.3 pts (655 votes) | 3,390 | +1.6 pts | 37.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 2,014 | 60.4% | 22.8 pts (760 votes) | 3,334 | -3.6 pts | 34.4 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 | 6,065 | 52.4% of population |
| 2004 | 6,015 | 55.7% of population |
| 2008 | 5,989 | 55.7% of population |
| 2012 | 5,910 | 53.0% of population |
| 2016 | 5,710 | 54.5% of population |
| 2020 | 5,631 | 60.2% of population |
| 2024 | 5,633 | 59.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Putnam shifted 30.4 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
Putnam 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 Putnam voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Putnam 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 Putnam?
Putnam's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 1.9 points (57 votes) out of 3,135 total votes cast.
Has Putnam ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Putnam 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 Putnam?
The widest margin on record for Putnam was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 23.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Putnam relative to its population?
In 2024, 3,334 votes were recorded in Putnam against a total population of 5,633 (59.2% 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 Putnam a presidential bellwether county?
Putnam 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%).