Lancaster, Nebraska — Presidential Election Results
Lancaster, Nebraska has voted Democratic in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2016. In 2024, it was 25.2 pts more Dem. 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 | 55,514 | 51.8% | 10.1 pts (10,864 votes) | 107,132 | — | 19.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 69,764 | 56.0% | 13.7 pts (17,017 votes) | 124,509 | -3.0 pts | 19.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 65,734 | 51.6% | 5.0 pts (6,336 votes) | 127,490 | +19.0 pts | 20.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 62,434 | 49.0% | 0.3 pts (419 votes) | 127,355 | -5.4 pts | 21.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 61,898 | 45.4% | 0.2 pts (310 votes) | 136,223 | +0.6 pts | 27.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 82,293 | 52.7% | 7.8 pts (12,201 votes) | 156,091 | +7.8 pts | 27.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 81,012 | 51.4% | 4.3 pts (6,797 votes) | 157,633 | -3.6 pts | 25.2 pts more Dem. |
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 | 251,523 | 42.6% of population |
| 2004 | 265,087 | 47.0% of population |
| 2008 | 279,605 | 45.6% of population |
| 2012 | 293,431 | 43.4% of population |
| 2016 | 310,306 | 43.9% of population |
| 2020 | 323,171 | 48.3% of population |
| 2024 | 332,857 | 47.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Lancaster shifted 15.2 points toward the Democratic 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
Lancaster has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Nebraska's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Nebraska Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Lancaster voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Lancaster has voted Democratic in 4 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 3 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Lancaster?
Lancaster's closest recorded margin was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 0.3 points (310 votes) out of 136,223 total votes cast.
Has Lancaster ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Lancaster changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Lancaster?
The widest margin on record for Lancaster was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 13.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Lancaster relative to its population?
In 2024, 157,633 votes were recorded in Lancaster against a total population of 332,857 (47.4% 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 Lancaster a presidential bellwether county?
Lancaster has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Nebraska's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%).