Kearney, Nebraska — Presidential Election Results
Kearney, Nebraska has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 37.9 pts more Rep. than Nebraska 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. Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 2,333 | 74.7% | 52.9 pts (1,653 votes) | 3,122 | — | 24.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 2,621 | 77.6% | 56.6 pts (1,914 votes) | 3,379 | -2.6 pts | 23.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 2,224 | 70.6% | 42.8 pts (1,348 votes) | 3,150 | +14.0 pts | 28.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 2,349 | 73.9% | 49.6 pts (1,576 votes) | 3,180 | -7.0 pts | 28.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 2,531 | 76.8% | 60.1 pts (1,981 votes) | 3,296 | -13.8 pts | 37.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 2,822 | 78.3% | 58.9 pts (2,121 votes) | 3,604 | +4.1 pts | 40.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 2,828 | 78.5% | 58.0 pts (2,092 votes) | 3,604 | +1.5 pts | 37.9 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 | 6,889 | 45.3% of population |
| 2004 | 6,776 | 49.9% of population |
| 2008 | 6,554 | 48.1% of population |
| 2012 | 6,508 | 48.9% of population |
| 2016 | 6,561 | 50.2% of population |
| 2020 | 6,692 | 53.9% of population |
| 2024 | 6,749 | 53.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Kearney shifted 3.8 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
Kearney has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Nebraska's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Nebraska Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Kearney voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Kearney 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 Kearney?
Kearney's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 43.5 points (1,348 votes) out of 3,150 total votes cast.
Has Kearney ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Kearney has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Kearney?
The widest margin on record for Kearney was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 64.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Kearney relative to its population?
In 2024, 3,604 votes were recorded in Kearney against a total population of 6,749 (53.4% 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 Kearney a presidential bellwether county?
Kearney has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Nebraska's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).