Cape Girardeau, Missouri — Presidential Election Results
Cape Girardeau, Missouri has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 28.4 pts more Rep. than Missouri 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. Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 19,832 | 66.4% | 35.2 pts (10,498 votes) | 29,859 | — | 32.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 23,814 | 68.9% | 38.3 pts (13,246 votes) | 34,565 | -2.5 pts | 31.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 24,768 | 66.3% | 33.6 pts (12,560 votes) | 37,355 | +4.6 pts | 33.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 25,370 | 71.0% | 43.8 pts (15,642 votes) | 35,716 | -10.6 pts | 35.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 27,017 | 72.9% | 50.0 pts (18,525 votes) | 37,038 | -7.6 pts | 32.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 28,907 | 71.7% | 45.0 pts (18,147 votes) | 40,328 | +6.4 pts | 30.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 29,315 | 72.6% | 46.5 pts (18,754 votes) | 40,353 | -1.3 pts | 28.4 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 | 68,796 | 43.4% of population |
| 2004 | 71,121 | 48.6% of population |
| 2008 | 74,141 | 50.4% of population |
| 2012 | 77,051 | 46.4% of population |
| 2016 | 78,445 | 47.2% of population |
| 2020 | 81,824 | 49.3% of population |
| 2024 | 83,658 | 48.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Cape Girardeau shifted 11.0 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
Cape Girardeau has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Missouri's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Missouri Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Cape Girardeau voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau?
Cape Girardeau's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 34.0 points (12,560 votes) out of 37,355 total votes cast.
Has Cape Girardeau ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Cape Girardeau has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Cape Girardeau?
The widest margin on record for Cape Girardeau was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 52.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Cape Girardeau relative to its population?
In 2024, 40,353 votes were recorded in Cape Girardeau against a total population of 83,658 (48.2% 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 Cape Girardeau a presidential bellwether county?
Cape Girardeau has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Missouri's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).