Watauga, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Watauga, North Carolina has voted Democratic in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2016. In 2024, it was 9.3 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 | 10,438 | 55.7% | 13.2 pts (2,479 votes) | 18,723 | — | 0.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 12,659 | 52.6% | 5.9 pts (1,427 votes) | 24,050 | +7.5 pts | 6.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 14,558 | 51.3% | 4.3 pts (1,214 votes) | 28,372 | +10.3 pts | 4.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 13,861 | 50.1% | 3.1 pts (859 votes) | 27,674 | -7.5 pts | 1.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 14,138 | 47.2% | 1.5 pts (441 votes) | 29,985 | +4.8 pts | 5.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 17,122 | 53.1% | 8.3 pts (2,671 votes) | 32,220 | +6.9 pts | 9.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 17,225 | 52.0% | 6.0 pts (1,971 votes) | 33,095 | -2.4 pts | 9.3 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 | 42,905 | 43.6% of population |
| 2004 | 45,478 | 52.9% of population |
| 2008 | 50,266 | 56.4% of population |
| 2012 | 52,062 | 53.2% of population |
| 2016 | 54,140 | 55.4% of population |
| 2020 | 54,470 | 59.2% of population |
| 2024 | 54,997 | 60.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Watauga shifted 19.5 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
Watauga 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 Watauga voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Watauga 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 Watauga?
Watauga's closest recorded margin was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 1.6 points (441 votes) out of 29,985 total votes cast.
Has Watauga ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Watauga changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Watauga?
The widest margin on record for Watauga was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 13.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Watauga relative to its population?
In 2024, 33,095 votes were recorded in Watauga against a total population of 54,997 (60.2% 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 Watauga a presidential bellwether county?
Watauga 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%).