Thurston, Nebraska — Presidential Election Results
Thurston, Nebraska has voted Republican in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 13.9 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 | 1,040 | 50.0% | 5.6 pts (116 votes) | 2,082 | — | 24.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 1,212 | 50.8% | 2.4 pts (58 votes) | 2,387 | +8.4 pts | 36.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 1,120 | 52.7% | 7.0 pts (148 votes) | 2,126 | +4.6 pts | 22.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 1,247 | 56.3% | 13.9 pts (308 votes) | 2,215 | +7.0 pts | 36.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 1,043 | 50.0% | 5.9 pts (124 votes) | 2,088 | -20.4 pts | 20.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 1,180 | 50.8% | 2.5 pts (58 votes) | 2,325 | +3.8 pts | 17.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 1,125 | 53.0% | 6.9 pts (147 votes) | 2,123 | -4.5 pts | 13.9 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 | 7,139 | 29.2% of population |
| 2004 | 6,943 | 34.4% of population |
| 2008 | 6,821 | 31.2% of population |
| 2012 | 6,925 | 32.0% of population |
| 2016 | 7,139 | 29.2% of population |
| 2020 | 6,759 | 34.4% of population |
| 2024 | 6,637 | 32.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Thurston shifted 1.1 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
Thurston has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Nebraska's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Nebraska Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Thurston voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Thurston has voted Democratic in 3 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 4 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Thurston?
Thurston's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 2.5 points (58 votes) out of 2,387 total votes cast.
Has Thurston ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Thurston changed which party won the county in: 2004, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Thurston?
The widest margin on record for Thurston was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 14.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Thurston relative to its population?
In 2024, 2,123 votes were recorded in Thurston against a total population of 6,637 (32.0% 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 Thurston a presidential bellwether county?
Thurston has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Nebraska's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).