Carteret, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Carteret, North Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 40.2 pts more Rep. 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 | 17,381 | 65.7% | 32.3 pts (8,542 votes) | 26,461 | — | 19.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 17,716 | 69.3% | 39.0 pts (9,984 votes) | 25,575 | -6.7 pts | 26.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 23,131 | 66.9% | 34.7 pts (12,001 votes) | 34,597 | +4.2 pts | 35.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 24,775 | 69.8% | 40.8 pts (14,474 votes) | 35,517 | -6.2 pts | 39.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 26,569 | 70.3% | 44.0 pts (16,630 votes) | 37,781 | -4.3 pts | 41.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 30,028 | 70.3% | 42.0 pts (17,935 votes) | 42,695 | +3.0 pts | 41.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 32,508 | 71.0% | 43.0 pts (19,695 votes) | 45,817 | -0.9 pts | 40.2 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 | 59,406 | 44.5% of population |
| 2004 | 62,127 | 41.2% of population |
| 2008 | 64,700 | 53.5% of population |
| 2012 | 67,770 | 52.4% of population |
| 2016 | 68,808 | 54.9% of population |
| 2020 | 67,695 | 63.1% of population |
| 2024 | 70,259 | 65.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Carteret shifted 10.9 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
Carteret has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other North Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Carteret voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Carteret 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 Carteret?
Carteret's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 32.6 points (8,542 votes) out of 26,461 total votes cast.
Has Carteret ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Carteret has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Carteret?
The widest margin on record for Carteret was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 45.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Carteret relative to its population?
In 2024, 45,817 votes were recorded in Carteret against a total population of 70,259 (65.2% 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 Carteret a presidential bellwether county?
Carteret has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).