New Hanover, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
New Hanover, North Carolina has voted Republican in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2020. In 2024, it was 3.9 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 | 36,503 | 55.0% | 10.9 pts (7,211 votes) | 66,319 | — | 2.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 45,351 | 55.8% | 12.0 pts (9,779 votes) | 81,247 | -1.1 pts | 0.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 50,544 | 50.2% | 1.4 pts (1,399 votes) | 100,665 | +10.7 pts | 1.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 53,385 | 51.5% | 4.6 pts (4,717 votes) | 103,628 | -3.2 pts | 2.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 55,344 | 49.5% | 3.9 pts (4,365 votes) | 111,905 | +0.5 pts | 0.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 66,138 | 50.2% | 2.1 pts (2,807 votes) | 131,830 | +6.3 pts | 3.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 68,814 | 49.6% | 0.6 pts (865 votes) | 138,734 | -1.5 pts | 3.9 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 | 160,887 | 41.2% of population |
| 2004 | 178,362 | 45.6% of population |
| 2008 | 197,709 | 50.9% of population |
| 2012 | 209,045 | 49.6% of population |
| 2016 | 224,809 | 49.8% of population |
| 2020 | 226,442 | 58.2% of population |
| 2024 | 243,333 | 57.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in New Hanover shifted 11.6 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
New Hanover 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 New Hanover voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, New Hanover has voted Democratic in 2 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 5 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in New Hanover?
New Hanover's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 0.6 points (865 votes) out of 138,734 total votes cast.
Has New Hanover ever flipped between parties?
Yes. New Hanover changed which party won the county in: 2020, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in New Hanover?
The widest margin on record for New Hanover was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 12.1 points.
How many votes were cast in New Hanover relative to its population?
In 2024, 138,734 votes were recorded in New Hanover against a total population of 243,333 (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 New Hanover a presidential bellwether county?
New Hanover 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%).