Lee, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Lee, North Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 14.4 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 | 9,406 | 57.8% | 16.1 pts (2,621 votes) | 16,283 | — | 3.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 11,834 | 60.6% | 21.4 pts (4,177 votes) | 19,543 | -5.2 pts | 8.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 12,775 | 53.7% | 8.4 pts (1,991 votes) | 23,788 | +13.0 pts | 8.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 13,158 | 54.3% | 9.7 pts (2,357 votes) | 24,239 | -1.4 pts | 7.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 13,712 | 54.7% | 12.9 pts (3,243 votes) | 25,084 | -3.6 pts | 9.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 16,469 | 56.8% | 14.9 pts (4,326 votes) | 29,008 | -1.7 pts | 13.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 17,489 | 58.1% | 17.4 pts (5,244 votes) | 30,081 | -2.5 pts | 14.4 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 | 49,482 | 32.9% of population |
| 2004 | 49,747 | 39.3% of population |
| 2008 | 55,822 | 42.6% of population |
| 2012 | 59,240 | 40.9% of population |
| 2016 | 59,646 | 42.1% of population |
| 2020 | 63,402 | 45.8% of population |
| 2024 | 68,537 | 43.9% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Lee shifted 1.4 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
Lee 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 Lee voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Lee 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 Lee?
Lee's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 8.5 points (1,991 votes) out of 23,788 total votes cast.
Has Lee ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Lee has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Lee?
The widest margin on record for Lee was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 21.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Lee relative to its population?
In 2024, 30,081 votes were recorded in Lee against a total population of 68,537 (43.9% 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 Lee a presidential bellwether county?
Lee 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%).