Cherokee, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Cherokee, North Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 54.8 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 | 6,305 | 65.2% | 31.7 pts (3,066 votes) | 9,674 | — | 19.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 7,517 | 67.1% | 34.7 pts (3,882 votes) | 11,199 | -2.7 pts | 22.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 8,643 | 68.7% | 38.6 pts (4,858 votes) | 12,586 | -4.3 pts | 39.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 9,278 | 72.1% | 45.9 pts (5,900 votes) | 12,867 | -7.5 pts | 44.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 10,844 | 76.5% | 56.3 pts (7,984 votes) | 14,181 | -11.6 pts | 54.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 12,628 | 76.9% | 55.1 pts (9,045 votes) | 16,423 | +2.5 pts | 54.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 13,883 | 77.9% | 57.2 pts (10,197 votes) | 17,824 | -2.2 pts | 54.8 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 | 24,357 | 39.7% of population |
| 2004 | 25,658 | 43.6% of population |
| 2008 | 27,545 | 45.7% of population |
| 2012 | 27,034 | 47.6% of population |
| 2016 | 27,809 | 51.0% of population |
| 2020 | 28,864 | 56.9% of population |
| 2024 | 30,373 | 58.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Cherokee shifted 25.9 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
Cherokee 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 Cherokee voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Cherokee 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 Cherokee?
Cherokee's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 32.1 points (3,066 votes) out of 9,674 total votes cast.
Has Cherokee ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Cherokee has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Cherokee?
The widest margin on record for Cherokee was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 58.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Cherokee relative to its population?
In 2024, 17,824 votes were recorded in Cherokee against a total population of 30,373 (58.7% 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 Cherokee a presidential bellwether county?
Cherokee 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%).