Athens, Ohio — Presidential Election Results
Athens, Ohio has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 22.2 pts more Dem. than Ohio 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. Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 13,158 | 51.7% | 13.6 pts (3,455 votes) | 25,447 | — | 18.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 18,997 | 63.2% | 27.1 pts (8,150 votes) | 30,044 | +12.2 pts | 29.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 20,722 | 66.6% | 35.3 pts (10,980 votes) | 31,098 | +8.7 pts | 31.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 18,307 | 66.2% | 35.3 pts (9,764 votes) | 27,638 | +0.3 pts | 33.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 16,370 | 55.6% | 17.0 pts (5,016 votes) | 29,443 | -18.3 pts | 26.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 14,772 | 56.7% | 15.0 pts (3,910 votes) | 26,059 | -2.8 pts | 23.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 14,134 | 54.8% | 10.7 pts (2,765 votes) | 25,776 | -4.4 pts | 22.2 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 | 62,324 | 40.8% of population |
| 2004 | 63,230 | 47.5% of population |
| 2008 | 64,546 | 48.2% of population |
| 2012 | 64,610 | 42.8% of population |
| 2016 | 66,352 | 44.4% of population |
| 2020 | 62,380 | 41.8% of population |
| 2024 | 63,218 | 40.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Athens shifted 4.3 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
Athens has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Ohio's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Ohio Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Athens voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Athens has voted Democratic in 7 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 0 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Athens?
Athens's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 10.8 points (2,765 votes) out of 25,776 total votes cast.
Has Athens ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Athens has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Athens?
The widest margin on record for Athens was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 36.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Athens relative to its population?
In 2024, 25,776 votes were recorded in Athens against a total population of 63,218 (40.8% 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 Athens a presidential bellwether county?
Athens has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Ohio's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).