Gates, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Gates, North Carolina has voted Democratic in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 18.6 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 1,944 | 56.4% | 13.5 pts (464 votes) | 3,446 | — | 26.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 2,121 | 52.3% | 4.9 pts (197 votes) | 4,053 | -8.7 pts | 17.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 2,830 | 52.2% | 5.2 pts (283 votes) | 5,420 | +0.4 pts | 4.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 2,786 | 51.6% | 4.1 pts (222 votes) | 5,396 | -1.1 pts | 6.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 2,874 | 53.3% | 9.1 pts (489 votes) | 5,392 | -13.4 pts | 5.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,367 | 56.4% | 13.7 pts (821 votes) | 5,971 | -4.6 pts | 12.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,538 | 60.3% | 21.6 pts (1,270 votes) | 5,868 | -8.0 pts | 18.6 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 | 10,505 | 32.8% of population |
| 2004 | 10,874 | 37.3% of population |
| 2008 | 12,098 | 44.8% of population |
| 2012 | 11,890 | 45.4% of population |
| 2016 | 11,569 | 46.6% of population |
| 2020 | 10,450 | 57.1% of population |
| 2024 | 10,299 | 57.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Gates shifted 35.4 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
Gates has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other North Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Gates voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Gates has voted Democratic in 4 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 3 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Gates?
Gates's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 4.1 points (222 votes) out of 5,396 total votes cast.
Has Gates ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Gates changed which party won the county in: 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Gates?
The widest margin on record for Gates was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 21.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Gates relative to its population?
In 2024, 5,868 votes were recorded in Gates against a total population of 10,299 (57.0% 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 Gates a presidential bellwether county?
Gates has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).