Clay, Kentucky — Presidential Election Results
Clay, Kentucky has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 50.3 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 | 4,926 | 73.3% | 47.7 pts (3,203 votes) | 6,719 | — | 32.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 5,726 | 74.5% | 49.8 pts (3,825 votes) | 7,687 | -2.0 pts | 30.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 5,710 | 77.5% | 56.5 pts (4,158 votes) | 7,364 | -7.1 pts | 40.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 6,176 | 83.7% | 68.6 pts (5,065 votes) | 7,383 | -12.3 pts | 46.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 5,861 | 86.6% | 75.5 pts (5,109 votes) | 6,767 | -7.7 pts | 45.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,677 | 88.0% | 77.0 pts (5,846 votes) | 7,590 | -0.6 pts | 51.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,729 | 89.5% | 80.3 pts (6,037 votes) | 7,517 | -3.5 pts | 50.3 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 | 24,458 | 27.5% of population |
| 2004 | 23,278 | 33.0% of population |
| 2008 | 22,289 | 33.0% of population |
| 2012 | 21,518 | 34.3% of population |
| 2016 | 20,626 | 32.8% of population |
| 2020 | 20,309 | 37.4% of population |
| 2024 | 19,592 | 38.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Clay shifted 33.2 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
Clay has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Kentucky's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Kentucky Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Clay voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Clay has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Clay?
Clay's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 48.2 points (3,203 votes) out of 6,719 total votes cast.
Has Clay ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Clay has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Clay?
The widest margin on record for Clay was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 81.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Clay relative to its population?
In 2024, 7,517 votes were recorded in Clay against a total population of 19,592 (38.4% 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 Clay a presidential bellwether county?
Clay has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Kentucky's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).