Lee, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Lee, 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 15.0 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 | 9,632 | 58.1% | 19.9 pts (3,293 votes) | 16,572 | — | 20.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 10,152 | 56.8% | 15.0 pts (2,680 votes) | 17,858 | -5.4 pts | 15.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 9,821 | 57.0% | 16.0 pts (2,759 votes) | 17,224 | +1.1 pts | 6.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 10,714 | 56.7% | 15.5 pts (2,929 votes) | 18,911 | -0.5 pts | 9.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 8,803 | 54.5% | 16.0 pts (2,588 votes) | 16,151 | -33.1 pts | 7.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 9,808 | 58.6% | 19.5 pts (3,267 votes) | 16,734 | -2.8 pts | 11.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,152 | 62.7% | 27.7 pts (4,493 votes) | 16,198 | -8.4 pts | 15.0 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 | 37,931 | 43.7% of population |
| 2004 | 36,587 | 48.8% of population |
| 2008 | 35,819 | 48.1% of population |
| 2012 | 35,541 | 53.2% of population |
| 2016 | 34,458 | 46.9% of population |
| 2020 | 33,529 | 49.9% of population |
| 2024 | 32,376 | 50.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Lee shifted 49.0 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
Lee 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 Lee voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Lee 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 Lee?
Lee's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 15.2 points (2,680 votes) out of 17,858 total votes cast.
Has Lee ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Lee 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 Lee?
The widest margin on record for Lee was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 28.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Lee relative to its population?
In 2024, 16,198 votes were recorded in Lee against a total population of 32,376 (50.0% 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 Lee a presidential bellwether county?
Lee 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%).