Swain, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Swain, North Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 20.7 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 | 2,224 | 50.9% | 2.9 pts (127 votes) | 4,370 | — | 10.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 2,593 | 51.4% | 3.4 pts (174 votes) | 5,044 | -0.5 pts | 9.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 2,900 | 50.0% | 1.6 pts (94 votes) | 5,798 | +1.8 pts | 2.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 2,976 | 52.0% | 6.2 pts (358 votes) | 5,728 | -4.8 pts | 4.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 3,565 | 58.2% | 22.4 pts (1,369 votes) | 6,124 | -17.4 pts | 20.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 4,161 | 58.9% | 19.5 pts (1,381 votes) | 7,068 | +3.9 pts | 18.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 4,311 | 61.1% | 23.7 pts (1,668 votes) | 7,052 | -4.1 pts | 20.7 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 | 13,041 | 33.5% of population |
| 2004 | 13,240 | 38.1% of population |
| 2008 | 13,872 | 41.8% of population |
| 2012 | 14,053 | 40.8% of population |
| 2016 | 14,190 | 43.2% of population |
| 2020 | 14,103 | 50.1% of population |
| 2024 | 13,945 | 50.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Swain shifted 21.0 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
Swain 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 Swain voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Swain 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 Swain?
Swain's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 1.6 points (94 votes) out of 5,798 total votes cast.
Has Swain ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Swain has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Swain?
The widest margin on record for Swain was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 24.0 points.
How many votes were cast in Swain relative to its population?
In 2024, 7,052 votes were recorded in Swain against a total population of 13,945 (50.6% 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 Swain a presidential bellwether county?
Swain 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%).