Buchanan, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Buchanan, Iowa 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 15.2 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 | 5,045 | 53.6% | 10.1 pts (953 votes) | 9,410 | — | 10.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 5,608 | 53.5% | 7.7 pts (811 votes) | 10,475 | -2.6 pts | 8.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 6,050 | 58.5% | 18.5 pts (1,911 votes) | 10,338 | +11.0 pts | 9.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 5,911 | 56.1% | 13.9 pts (1,461 votes) | 10,535 | -4.7 pts | 8.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 5,510 | 53.7% | 15.0 pts (1,540 votes) | 10,252 | -30.3 pts | 6.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,430 | 59.7% | 21.0 pts (2,261 votes) | 10,774 | -5.1 pts | 12.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,790 | 63.2% | 28.1 pts (3,024 votes) | 10,750 | -7.3 pts | 15.2 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 | 21,064 | 44.7% of population |
| 2004 | 20,910 | 50.1% of population |
| 2008 | 21,154 | 48.9% of population |
| 2012 | 20,994 | 50.2% of population |
| 2016 | 21,007 | 48.8% of population |
| 2020 | 20,606 | 52.3% of population |
| 2024 | 20,733 | 51.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Buchanan shifted 39.1 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
Buchanan has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Iowa Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Buchanan voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Buchanan 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 Buchanan?
Buchanan's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 7.8 points (811 votes) out of 10,475 total votes cast.
Has Buchanan ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Buchanan 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 Buchanan?
The widest margin on record for Buchanan was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 28.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Buchanan relative to its population?
In 2024, 10,750 votes were recorded in Buchanan against a total population of 20,733 (51.8% 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 Buchanan a presidential bellwether county?
Buchanan has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).