Nelson, Kentucky — Presidential Election Results
Nelson, Kentucky has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 11.2 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 | 7,714 | 57.2% | 16.6 pts (2,233 votes) | 13,488 | — | 1.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 10,161 | 60.3% | 21.6 pts (3,637 votes) | 16,844 | -4.9 pts | 1.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 10,139 | 55.9% | 13.7 pts (2,485 votes) | 18,146 | +7.8 pts | 2.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 10,673 | 57.6% | 16.5 pts (3,062 votes) | 18,533 | -2.8 pts | 6.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 13,431 | 64.6% | 33.6 pts (6,997 votes) | 20,802 | -18.5 pts | 3.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 15,703 | 67.6% | 36.6 pts (8,515 votes) | 23,245 | -2.0 pts | 10.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 16,052 | 70.2% | 41.7 pts (9,537 votes) | 22,852 | -5.1 pts | 11.2 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 | 37,662 | 35.8% of population |
| 2004 | 39,947 | 42.2% of population |
| 2008 | 42,588 | 42.6% of population |
| 2012 | 44,401 | 41.7% of population |
| 2016 | 45,497 | 45.7% of population |
| 2020 | 46,779 | 49.7% of population |
| 2024 | 48,706 | 46.9% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Nelson shifted 25.3 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
Nelson 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 Nelson voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Nelson 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 Nelson?
Nelson's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 14.0 points (2,485 votes) out of 18,146 total votes cast.
Has Nelson ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Nelson has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Nelson?
The widest margin on record for Nelson was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 42.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Nelson relative to its population?
In 2024, 22,852 votes were recorded in Nelson against a total population of 48,706 (46.9% 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 Nelson a presidential bellwether county?
Nelson 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%).