Catawba, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Catawba, North Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 35.1 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 | 34,244 | 67.4% | 35.4 pts (17,998 votes) | 50,841 | — | 22.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 39,602 | 67.5% | 35.3 pts (20,744 votes) | 58,688 | +0.2 pts | 23.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 42,993 | 61.9% | 25.0 pts (17,337 votes) | 69,451 | +10.2 pts | 25.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 44,538 | 64.0% | 29.4 pts (20,469 votes) | 69,601 | -4.6 pts | 27.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 48,324 | 66.8% | 37.5 pts (27,108 votes) | 72,351 | -9.1 pts | 35.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 56,588 | 67.8% | 37.0 pts (30,899 votes) | 83,425 | +1.4 pts | 36.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 59,577 | 68.4% | 37.9 pts (33,008 votes) | 87,109 | -0.8 pts | 35.1 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 | 142,399 | 35.7% of population |
| 2004 | 147,016 | 39.9% of population |
| 2008 | 153,848 | 45.1% of population |
| 2012 | 154,693 | 45.0% of population |
| 2016 | 156,448 | 46.2% of population |
| 2020 | 160,889 | 51.9% of population |
| 2024 | 167,054 | 52.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Catawba shifted 2.7 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
Catawba 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 Catawba voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Catawba 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 Catawba?
Catawba's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 25.3 points (17,337 votes) out of 69,451 total votes cast.
Has Catawba ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Catawba has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Catawba?
The widest margin on record for Catawba was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 39.0 points.
How many votes were cast in Catawba relative to its population?
In 2024, 87,109 votes were recorded in Catawba against a total population of 167,054 (52.1% 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 Catawba a presidential bellwether county?
Catawba 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%).