Polk, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Polk, Iowa has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 24.5 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 | 89,715 | 51.5% | 5.6 pts (9,788 votes) | 174,167 | — | 5.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 105,218 | 51.9% | 4.6 pts (9,390 votes) | 202,618 | -1.1 pts | 5.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 120,984 | 56.4% | 14.6 pts (31,316 votes) | 214,386 | +10.2 pts | 5.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 128,465 | 56.1% | 14.1 pts (32,369 votes) | 228,882 | -0.5 pts | 8.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 119,804 | 51.7% | 11.4 pts (26,312 votes) | 231,555 | -2.1 pts | 22.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 146,250 | 56.5% | 15.0 pts (38,686 votes) | 258,755 | +2.9 pts | 23.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 140,075 | 54.5% | 10.8 pts (27,835 votes) | 256,838 | -4.2 pts | 24.5 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 | 375,627 | 46.4% of population |
| 2004 | 392,164 | 51.7% of population |
| 2008 | 419,495 | 51.1% of population |
| 2012 | 444,671 | 51.5% of population |
| 2016 | 474,277 | 48.8% of population |
| 2020 | 493,039 | 52.5% of population |
| 2024 | 516,185 | 49.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Polk shifted 5.3 points toward the Democratic 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
Polk has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Iowa Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Polk voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Polk has voted Democratic in 7 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 0 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Polk?
Polk's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 4.7 points (9,390 votes) out of 202,618 total votes cast.
Has Polk ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Polk has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Polk?
The widest margin on record for Polk was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 15.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Polk relative to its population?
In 2024, 256,838 votes were recorded in Polk against a total population of 516,185 (49.8% 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 Polk a presidential bellwether county?
Polk has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Iowa's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%).