Palo Alto, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Palo Alto, Iowa has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 32.1 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 | 2,341 | 48.5% | 0.3 pts (15 votes) | 4,823 | — | 0.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 2,674 | 51.5% | 3.7 pts (192 votes) | 5,191 | -3.4 pts | 3.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 2,428 | 50.5% | 2.8 pts (134 votes) | 4,806 | +6.6 pts | 6.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 2,660 | 54.4% | 10.7 pts (521 votes) | 4,887 | -13.7 pts | 16.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 3,081 | 65.5% | 35.8 pts (1,683 votes) | 4,703 | -26.7 pts | 27.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,378 | 68.1% | 37.5 pts (1,859 votes) | 4,958 | -0.4 pts | 29.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,576 | 71.8% | 44.9 pts (2,238 votes) | 4,982 | -7.6 pts | 32.1 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 | 10,135 | 47.6% of population |
| 2004 | 9,753 | 53.2% of population |
| 2008 | 9,486 | 50.7% of population |
| 2012 | 9,279 | 52.7% of population |
| 2016 | 9,034 | 52.1% of population |
| 2020 | 8,993 | 55.1% of population |
| 2024 | 8,809 | 56.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Palo Alto shifted 45.2 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
Palo Alto has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Iowa Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Palo Alto voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Palo Alto has voted Democratic in 1 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 6 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Palo Alto?
Palo Alto's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 0.3 points (15 votes) out of 4,823 total votes cast.
Has Palo Alto ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Palo Alto changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Palo Alto?
The widest margin on record for Palo Alto was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 45.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Palo Alto relative to its population?
In 2024, 4,982 votes were recorded in Palo Alto against a total population of 8,809 (56.6% 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 Palo Alto a presidential bellwether county?
Palo Alto has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 5 of 7 (71%).