Kent, Rhode Island — Presidential Election Results
Kent, Rhode Island has voted Democratic in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2020. In 2024, it was 12.0 pts more Rep. than Rhode Island 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. Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 43,265 | 58.9% | 24.5 pts (17,974 votes) | 73,470 | — | 5.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 42,830 | 55.0% | 11.7 pts (9,131 votes) | 77,842 | -14.3 pts | 9.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 48,406 | 57.6% | 17.4 pts (14,626 votes) | 84,074 | +5.9 pts | 10.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 45,564 | 57.7% | 17.7 pts (13,997 votes) | 78,923 | +0.4 pts | 9.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 38,336 | 46.7% | 0.7 pts (548 votes) | 82,053 | -18.9 pts | 17.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 49,113 | 52.8% | 7.6 pts (7,112 votes) | 93,093 | +8.5 pts | 13.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 46,269 | 49.7% | 1.9 pts (1,743 votes) | 93,148 | -5.9 pts | 12.0 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 | 167,516 | 43.9% of population |
| 2004 | 170,539 | 45.6% of population |
| 2008 | 167,269 | 50.3% of population |
| 2012 | 164,627 | 47.9% of population |
| 2016 | 163,711 | 50.1% of population |
| 2020 | 170,423 | 54.6% of population |
| 2024 | 172,450 | 54.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Kent shifted 24.3 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
Kent has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Rhode Island's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Rhode Island Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Kent voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Kent has voted Democratic in 6 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 1 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Kent?
Kent's closest recorded margin was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 0.7 points (548 votes) out of 82,053 total votes cast.
Has Kent ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Kent changed which party won the county in: 2016, 2020, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Kent?
The widest margin on record for Kent was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 26.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Kent relative to its population?
In 2024, 93,148 votes were recorded in Kent against a total population of 172,450 (54.0% 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 Kent a presidential bellwether county?
Kent has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Rhode Island's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).