Whiteside, Illinois — Presidential Election Results
Whiteside, 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 26.1 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 12,886 | 51.9% | 6.6 pts (1,634 votes) | 24,837 | — | 5.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 13,723 | 51.1% | 2.8 pts (764 votes) | 26,873 | -3.9 pts | 7.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 15,607 | 58.0% | 17.6 pts (4,724 votes) | 26,906 | +15.0 pts | 7.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 14,833 | 57.8% | 17.5 pts (4,499 votes) | 25,654 | +0.0 pts | 0.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 12,615 | 49.3% | 6.2 pts (1,580 votes) | 25,582 | -24.6 pts | 24.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 14,527 | 53.1% | 8.3 pts (2,274 votes) | 27,375 | -1.8 pts | 25.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 14,898 | 56.3% | 14.7 pts (3,886 votes) | 26,447 | -6.5 pts | 26.1 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 | 60,615 | 41.0% of population |
| 2004 | 59,352 | 45.3% of population |
| 2008 | 58,784 | 45.8% of population |
| 2012 | 57,766 | 44.4% of population |
| 2016 | 56,476 | 45.3% of population |
| 2020 | 55,574 | 49.3% of population |
| 2024 | 54,657 | 48.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Whiteside shifted 21.8 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
Whiteside 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 Whiteside voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Whiteside 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 Whiteside?
Whiteside's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 2.9 points (764 votes) out of 26,873 total votes cast.
Has Whiteside ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Whiteside 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 Whiteside?
The widest margin on record for Whiteside was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 17.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Whiteside relative to its population?
In 2024, 26,447 votes were recorded in Whiteside against a total population of 54,657 (48.4% 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 Whiteside a presidential bellwether county?
Whiteside 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%).