Gaston, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Gaston, North Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 22.0 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 | 39,453 | 66.7% | 34.1 pts (20,172 votes) | 59,179 | — | 21.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 43,252 | 67.8% | 36.1 pts (22,998 votes) | 63,755 | -1.9 pts | 23.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 52,507 | 62.2% | 25.0 pts (21,123 votes) | 84,402 | +11.0 pts | 25.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 56,138 | 62.0% | 25.4 pts (22,967 votes) | 90,483 | -0.5 pts | 23.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 61,798 | 64.1% | 31.8 pts (30,621 votes) | 96,431 | -7.2 pts | 29.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 73,033 | 63.2% | 27.8 pts (32,074 votes) | 115,498 | +4.8 pts | 26.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 73,828 | 61.9% | 25.0 pts (29,766 votes) | 119,256 | +2.9 pts | 22.0 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 | 190,679 | 31.0% of population |
| 2004 | 191,646 | 33.3% of population |
| 2008 | 204,454 | 41.3% of population |
| 2012 | 207,903 | 43.5% of population |
| 2016 | 216,622 | 44.5% of population |
| 2020 | 228,625 | 50.5% of population |
| 2024 | 242,010 | 49.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Gaston shifted 9.1 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
Gaston 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 Gaston voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Gaston 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 Gaston?
Gaston's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 25.2 points (21,123 votes) out of 84,402 total votes cast.
Has Gaston ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Gaston has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Gaston?
The widest margin on record for Gaston was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 36.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Gaston relative to its population?
In 2024, 119,256 votes were recorded in Gaston against a total population of 242,010 (49.3% 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 Gaston a presidential bellwether county?
Gaston 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%).