Rock Island, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Rock Island, Illinois has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 1.4 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 | 37,957 | 58.3% | 19.6 pts (12,763 votes) | 65,095 | — | 7.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 39,880 | 57.0% | 14.6 pts (10,217 votes) | 69,972 | -5.5 pts | 4.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 42,210 | 61.7% | 24.6 pts (16,846 votes) | 68,401 | +10.2 pts | 0.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 39,157 | 60.2% | 21.9 pts (14,223 votes) | 65,016 | -2.7 pts | 5.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 32,298 | 50.5% | 8.3 pts (5,300 votes) | 63,994 | -13.3 pts | 9.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 36,691 | 55.0% | 12.1 pts (8,088 votes) | 66,758 | +3.4 pts | 4.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 34,126 | 53.8% | 9.6 pts (6,065 votes) | 63,458 | -2.6 pts | 1.4 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 | 149,134 | 43.6% of population |
| 2004 | 147,291 | 47.5% of population |
| 2008 | 147,501 | 46.4% of population |
| 2012 | 147,672 | 44.0% of population |
| 2016 | 144,943 | 44.2% of population |
| 2020 | 144,360 | 46.2% of population |
| 2024 | 142,731 | 44.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Rock Island shifted 10.5 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
Rock Island has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Illinois Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Rock Island voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Rock Island has voted Democratic in 7 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 0 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Rock Island?
Rock Island's closest recorded margin was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 8.9 points (5,300 votes) out of 63,994 total votes cast.
Has Rock Island ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Rock Island has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Rock Island?
The widest margin on record for Rock Island was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 24.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Rock Island relative to its population?
In 2024, 63,458 votes were recorded in Rock Island against a total population of 142,731 (44.5% 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 Rock Island a presidential bellwether county?
Rock Island has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Illinois's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).