Wilson, North Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Wilson, North Carolina has voted Democratic in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2008. In 2024, it was 3.7 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 | 13,466 | 54.2% | 8.9 pts (2,200 votes) | 24,826 | — | 4.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 16,264 | 53.3% | 6.7 pts (2,058 votes) | 30,535 | +2.1 pts | 5.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 19,652 | 52.8% | 6.1 pts (2,277 votes) | 37,191 | +12.9 pts | 5.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 20,875 | 53.4% | 7.5 pts (2,921 votes) | 39,109 | +1.4 pts | 9.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 19,663 | 51.6% | 5.6 pts (2,132 votes) | 38,135 | -1.8 pts | 9.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 20,754 | 50.9% | 2.9 pts (1,173 votes) | 40,735 | -2.8 pts | 4.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 19,909 | 49.7% | 0.4 pts (159 votes) | 40,045 | -2.5 pts | 3.7 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 | 73,971 | 33.6% of population |
| 2004 | 76,140 | 40.1% of population |
| 2008 | 79,790 | 46.6% of population |
| 2012 | 81,396 | 48.0% of population |
| 2016 | 81,307 | 46.9% of population |
| 2020 | 79,301 | 51.4% of population |
| 2024 | 79,958 | 50.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Wilson shifted 9.3 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
Wilson has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other North Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Wilson voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Wilson has voted Democratic in 5 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 2 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Wilson?
Wilson's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 0.4 points (159 votes) out of 40,045 total votes cast.
Has Wilson ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Wilson changed which party won the county in: 2008, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Wilson?
The widest margin on record for Wilson was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 8.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Wilson relative to its population?
In 2024, 40,045 votes were recorded in Wilson against a total population of 79,958 (50.1% 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 Wilson a presidential bellwether county?
Wilson has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and North Carolina's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%).