Wapello, Iowa — Presidential Election Results
Wapello, 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 18.4 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 | 8,355 | 55.2% | 13.5 pts (2,042 votes) | 15,139 | — | 13.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 9,125 | 54.6% | 10.3 pts (1,722 votes) | 16,707 | -3.5 pts | 11.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 8,820 | 55.4% | 13.5 pts (2,157 votes) | 15,931 | +3.5 pts | 4.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 8,663 | 54.9% | 11.9 pts (1,874 votes) | 15,770 | -1.8 pts | 6.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 8,715 | 57.5% | 20.6 pts (3,121 votes) | 15,149 | -33.9 pts | 11.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 9,536 | 61.0% | 23.8 pts (3,715 votes) | 15,633 | -2.4 pts | 15.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 9,479 | 65.0% | 31.4 pts (4,583 votes) | 14,583 | -7.7 pts | 18.4 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 | 36,007 | 42.0% of population |
| 2004 | 35,709 | 46.8% of population |
| 2008 | 35,381 | 45.0% of population |
| 2012 | 35,431 | 44.5% of population |
| 2016 | 35,265 | 43.0% of population |
| 2020 | 35,327 | 44.3% of population |
| 2024 | 35,681 | 40.9% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Wapello shifted 45.8 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
Wapello 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 Wapello voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Wapello 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 Wapello?
Wapello's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 10.4 points (1,722 votes) out of 16,707 total votes cast.
Has Wapello ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Wapello 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 Wapello?
The widest margin on record for Wapello was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 31.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Wapello relative to its population?
In 2024, 14,583 votes were recorded in Wapello against a total population of 35,681 (40.9% 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 Wapello a presidential bellwether county?
Wapello 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%).