Clayton, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Clayton, 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 21.5 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 | 4,238 | 49.4% | 2.4 pts (204 votes) | 8,571 | — | 2.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 4,736 | 51.7% | 4.6 pts (424 votes) | 9,168 | +2.2 pts | 5.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 5,195 | 57.8% | 17.2 pts (1,544 votes) | 8,989 | +12.8 pts | 7.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 4,806 | 52.6% | 7.0 pts (642 votes) | 9,138 | -10.3 pts | 1.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 5,317 | 58.2% | 22.8 pts (2,080 votes) | 9,129 | -31.5 pts | 14.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,119 | 63.8% | 29.0 pts (2,779 votes) | 9,594 | -5.1 pts | 20.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,255 | 66.5% | 34.4 pts (3,238 votes) | 9,400 | -5.5 pts | 21.5 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 | 18,611 | 46.1% of population |
| 2004 | 18,358 | 49.9% of population |
| 2008 | 18,209 | 49.4% of population |
| 2012 | 17,946 | 50.9% of population |
| 2016 | 17,661 | 51.7% of population |
| 2020 | 17,034 | 56.3% of population |
| 2024 | 16,931 | 55.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Clayton shifted 37.4 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
Clayton 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 Clayton voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Clayton 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 Clayton?
Clayton's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 2.5 points (204 votes) out of 8,571 total votes cast.
Has Clayton ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Clayton 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 Clayton?
The widest margin on record for Clayton was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 34.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Clayton relative to its population?
In 2024, 9,400 votes were recorded in Clayton against a total population of 16,931 (55.5% 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 Clayton a presidential bellwether county?
Clayton 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%).