Buncombe, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Buncombe, North Carolina has voted Democratic in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2008. In 2024, it was 28.4 pts more Dem. than North Carolina 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. North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 46,101 | 53.9% | 8.8 pts (7,556 votes) | 85,476 | — | 4.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 52,491 | 50.0% | 0.6 pts (623 votes) | 105,013 | +8.3 pts | 11.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 69,716 | 56.3% | 13.9 pts (17,222 votes) | 123,795 | +14.7 pts | 13.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 70,625 | 55.3% | 12.5 pts (15,924 votes) | 127,696 | -1.4 pts | 14.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 75,452 | 54.3% | 14.2 pts (19,736 votes) | 138,947 | +2.3 pts | 18.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 96,515 | 59.7% | 21.1 pts (34,103 votes) | 161,569 | +6.4 pts | 22.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 98,662 | 61.5% | 24.7 pts (39,646 votes) | 160,510 | +3.7 pts | 28.4 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 | 207,152 | 41.3% of population |
| 2004 | 218,139 | 48.1% of population |
| 2008 | 233,772 | 53.0% of population |
| 2012 | 243,655 | 52.4% of population |
| 2016 | 254,955 | 54.5% of population |
| 2020 | 269,704 | 59.9% of population |
| 2024 | 279,210 | 57.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Buncombe shifted 34.1 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
Buncombe has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other North Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Buncombe voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Buncombe has voted Democratic in 5 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 2 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Buncombe?
Buncombe's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 0.6 points (623 votes) out of 105,013 total votes cast.
Has Buncombe ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Buncombe changed which party won the county in: 2008, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Buncombe?
The widest margin on record for Buncombe was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 25.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Buncombe relative to its population?
In 2024, 160,510 votes were recorded in Buncombe against a total population of 279,210 (57.5% 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 Buncombe a presidential bellwether county?
Buncombe has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%).