Howard, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Howard, 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 18.8 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 | 2,426 | 54.0% | 11.2 pts (504 votes) | 4,491 | — | 11.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 2,614 | 55.7% | 12.5 pts (586 votes) | 4,697 | +1.0 pts | 13.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 2,941 | 62.2% | 25.8 pts (1,219 votes) | 4,728 | +13.5 pts | 16.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 2,768 | 59.6% | 20.9 pts (973 votes) | 4,645 | -4.8 pts | 15.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 2,611 | 57.3% | 20.5 pts (934 votes) | 4,559 | -43.1 pts | 11.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,133 | 63.2% | 27.5 pts (1,361 votes) | 4,958 | -6.0 pts | 19.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,157 | 65.1% | 31.7 pts (1,538 votes) | 4,850 | -4.5 pts | 18.8 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 | 9,934 | 45.2% of population |
| 2004 | 9,792 | 48.0% of population |
| 2008 | 9,625 | 49.1% of population |
| 2012 | 9,548 | 48.6% of population |
| 2016 | 9,257 | 49.2% of population |
| 2020 | 9,497 | 52.2% of population |
| 2024 | 9,360 | 51.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Howard shifted 43.8 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
Howard 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 Howard voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Howard 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 Howard?
Howard's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 11.6 points (504 votes) out of 4,491 total votes cast.
Has Howard ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Howard 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 Howard?
The widest margin on record for Howard was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 32.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Howard relative to its population?
In 2024, 4,850 votes were recorded in Howard against a total population of 9,360 (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 Howard a presidential bellwether county?
Howard 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%).