Buena Vista, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Buena Vista, Iowa has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). 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 | George W. Bush | Republican | 4,354 | 54.6% | 13.3 pts (1,057 votes) | 7,977 | — | 14.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 4,887 | 57.6% | 16.1 pts (1,367 votes) | 8,490 | -2.4 pts | 15.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 4,223 | 50.2% | 1.8 pts (148 votes) | 8,418 | +14.5 pts | 11.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 4,554 | 54.3% | 10.2 pts (854 votes) | 8,383 | -8.6 pts | 16.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 4,903 | 59.2% | 24.7 pts (2,047 votes) | 8,278 | -16.0 pts | 16.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,074 | 62.1% | 25.9 pts (2,113 votes) | 8,167 | +0.1 pts | 17.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 4,962 | 65.8% | 33.2 pts (2,500 votes) | 7,537 | -7.4 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 | 20,361 | 39.2% of population |
| 2004 | 20,000 | 42.4% of population |
| 2008 | 19,855 | 42.4% of population |
| 2012 | 20,561 | 40.8% of population |
| 2016 | 20,325 | 40.7% of population |
| 2020 | 20,808 | 39.2% of population |
| 2024 | 20,816 | 36.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Buena Vista shifted 19.9 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
Buena Vista has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Iowa Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Buena Vista voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Buena Vista has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Buena Vista?
Buena Vista's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 1.8 points (148 votes) out of 8,418 total votes cast.
Has Buena Vista ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Buena Vista has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Buena Vista?
The widest margin on record for Buena Vista was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 33.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Buena Vista relative to its population?
In 2024, 7,537 votes were recorded in Buena Vista against a total population of 20,816 (36.2% 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 Buena Vista a presidential bellwether county?
Buena Vista has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).