Carter, Kentucky — Presidential Election Results
Carter, Kentucky has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2008. In 2024, it was 28.1 pts more Rep. than Kentucky 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. Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 4,617 | 51.5% | 4.9 pts (435 votes) | 8,959 | — | 10.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 5,577 | 50.2% | 1.4 pts (155 votes) | 11,117 | +6.4 pts | 21.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 5,252 | 53.5% | 9.5 pts (936 votes) | 9,813 | -11.2 pts | 6.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 5,279 | 59.3% | 21.3 pts (1,896 votes) | 8,908 | -12.1 pts | 1.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 7,587 | 73.8% | 51.7 pts (5,311 votes) | 10,278 | -32.0 pts | 22.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 8,775 | 75.7% | 52.9 pts (6,133 votes) | 11,585 | +0.1 pts | 27.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 8,981 | 78.6% | 58.4 pts (6,676 votes) | 11,422 | -5.4 pts | 28.1 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 | 26,874 | 33.3% of population |
| 2004 | 27,528 | 40.4% of population |
| 2008 | 27,752 | 35.4% of population |
| 2012 | 27,637 | 32.2% of population |
| 2016 | 27,304 | 37.6% of population |
| 2020 | 26,614 | 43.5% of population |
| 2024 | 26,098 | 43.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Carter shifted 54.2 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
Carter has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Kentucky's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Kentucky Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Carter voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Carter 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 Carter?
Carter's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 1.4 points (155 votes) out of 11,117 total votes cast.
Has Carter ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Carter changed which party won the county in: 2004, 2008, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Carter?
The widest margin on record for Carter was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 59.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Carter relative to its population?
In 2024, 11,422 votes were recorded in Carter against a total population of 26,098 (43.8% 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 Carter a presidential bellwether county?
Carter has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Kentucky's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).