Nelson, North Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Nelson, North Dakota has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 4.8 pts more Dem. than North Dakota 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 Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 1,031 | 56.0% | 18.7 pts (344 votes) | 1,840 | — | 9.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 1,107 | 57.6% | 17.1 pts (329 votes) | 1,922 | +2.6 pts | 10.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 907 | 51.8% | 6.1 pts (107 votes) | 1,752 | +23.7 pts | 15.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 865 | 51.5% | 5.8 pts (98 votes) | 1,678 | -12.3 pts | 14.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 1,025 | 59.7% | 28.5 pts (489 votes) | 1,717 | -25.3 pts | 8.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 1,141 | 64.2% | 31.2 pts (555 votes) | 1,777 | -0.8 pts | 2.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 1,141 | 64.8% | 31.9 pts (561 votes) | 1,761 | -0.5 pts | 4.8 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 | 3,685 | 49.9% of population |
| 2004 | 3,406 | 56.4% of population |
| 2008 | 3,176 | 55.2% of population |
| 2012 | 3,055 | 54.9% of population |
| 2016 | 2,889 | 59.4% of population |
| 2020 | 2,999 | 59.3% of population |
| 2024 | 3,007 | 58.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Nelson shifted 12.6 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
Nelson has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and North Dakota's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other North Dakota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Nelson voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Nelson has voted Democratic in 1 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 6 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Nelson?
Nelson's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Mitt Romney (Republican) won by 6.0 points (98 votes) out of 1,678 total votes cast.
Has Nelson ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Nelson changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Nelson?
The widest margin on record for Nelson was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 32.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Nelson relative to its population?
In 2024, 1,761 votes were recorded in Nelson against a total population of 3,007 (58.6% 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 Nelson a presidential bellwether county?
Nelson has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and North Dakota's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).