Benton, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Benton, Iowa has voted Republican in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 20.2 pts more Rep. than Iowa 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. Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 5,915 | 50.3% | 3.8 pts (447 votes) | 11,766 | — | 3.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 6,747 | 50.0% | 0.7 pts (89 votes) | 13,501 | -3.3 pts | 1.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 7,058 | 51.5% | 4.5 pts (611 votes) | 13,712 | +3.9 pts | 5.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 6,940 | 49.5% | 0.6 pts (78 votes) | 14,023 | -5.1 pts | 6.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 8,232 | 59.5% | 25.7 pts (3,554 votes) | 13,844 | -27.0 pts | 17.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 9,208 | 62.9% | 27.6 pts (4,048 votes) | 14,642 | -0.6 pts | 19.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 9,549 | 65.8% | 33.2 pts (4,810 votes) | 14,509 | -5.5 pts | 20.2 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 | 25,326 | 46.5% of population |
| 2004 | 26,181 | 51.6% of population |
| 2008 | 26,097 | 52.5% of population |
| 2012 | 25,830 | 54.3% of population |
| 2016 | 25,644 | 54.0% of population |
| 2020 | 25,550 | 57.3% of population |
| 2024 | 25,799 | 56.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Benton shifted 37.6 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
Benton has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Iowa Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Benton voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Benton has voted Democratic in 3 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 4 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Benton?
Benton's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Mitt Romney (Republican) won by 0.6 points (78 votes) out of 14,023 total votes cast.
Has Benton ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Benton changed which party won the county in: 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Benton?
The widest margin on record for Benton was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 33.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Benton relative to its population?
In 2024, 14,509 votes were recorded in Benton against a total population of 25,799 (56.2% 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 Benton a presidential bellwether county?
Benton has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).