Guilford, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Guilford, North Carolina has voted Democratic in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2004. In 2024, it was 25.4 pts more Dem. 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 | 84,394 | 50.8% | 2.2 pts (3,607 votes) | 166,264 | — | 10.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 100,042 | 50.2% | 0.9 pts (1,788 votes) | 199,314 | +3.1 pts | 13.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 142,101 | 58.8% | 18.4 pts (44,383 votes) | 241,771 | +17.6 pts | 18.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 146,365 | 57.7% | 16.4 pts (41,576 votes) | 253,852 | -2.0 pts | 18.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 149,248 | 58.0% | 19.9 pts (51,186 votes) | 257,405 | +4.1 pts | 24.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 173,086 | 60.8% | 23.1 pts (65,792 votes) | 284,486 | +2.8 pts | 24.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 171,118 | 60.0% | 21.8 pts (62,041 votes) | 285,053 | -1.3 pts | 25.4 pts more Dem. |
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 | 422,324 | 39.4% of population |
| 2004 | 440,597 | 45.2% of population |
| 2008 | 477,809 | 50.6% of population |
| 2012 | 500,514 | 50.7% of population |
| 2016 | 524,265 | 49.1% of population |
| 2020 | 538,761 | 52.8% of population |
| 2024 | 558,816 | 51.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Guilford shifted 24.3 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
Guilford has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other North Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Guilford voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Guilford has voted Democratic in 6 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 1 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Guilford?
Guilford's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when John Kerry (Democratic) won by 0.9 points (1,788 votes) out of 199,314 total votes cast.
Has Guilford ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Guilford changed which party won the county in: 2004, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Guilford?
The widest margin on record for Guilford was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 23.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Guilford relative to its population?
In 2024, 285,053 votes were recorded in Guilford against a total population of 558,816 (51.0% 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 Guilford a presidential bellwether county?
Guilford has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).