Dubuque, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Dubuque, 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 4.7 pts more Dem. 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 | 22,341 | 55.4% | 14.6 pts (5,879 votes) | 40,323 | — | 14.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 26,561 | 56.5% | 13.7 pts (6,461 votes) | 47,043 | -1.3 pts | 14.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 28,611 | 59.7% | 20.8 pts (9,960 votes) | 47,953 | +7.2 pts | 11.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 28,768 | 56.5% | 14.7 pts (7,488 votes) | 50,894 | -6.1 pts | 9.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 23,460 | 47.2% | 1.2 pts (610 votes) | 49,721 | -16.3 pts | 8.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 27,358 | 50.7% | 3.2 pts (1,701 votes) | 53,926 | -1.9 pts | 5.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 28,224 | 53.5% | 8.6 pts (4,519 votes) | 52,770 | -5.5 pts | 4.7 pts more Dem. |
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 | 89,201 | 45.2% of population |
| 2004 | 90,462 | 52.0% of population |
| 2008 | 92,519 | 51.8% of population |
| 2012 | 95,159 | 53.5% of population |
| 2016 | 96,763 | 51.4% of population |
| 2020 | 99,310 | 54.3% of population |
| 2024 | 99,242 | 53.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Dubuque shifted 23.9 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
Dubuque 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 Dubuque voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Dubuque 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 Dubuque?
Dubuque's closest recorded margin was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 1.3 points (610 votes) out of 49,721 total votes cast.
Has Dubuque ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Dubuque 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 Dubuque?
The widest margin on record for Dubuque was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 21.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Dubuque relative to its population?
In 2024, 52,770 votes were recorded in Dubuque against a total population of 99,242 (53.2% 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 Dubuque a presidential bellwether county?
Dubuque 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%).