Aiken, South Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Aiken, South Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 8.1 pts more Rep. than South 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. South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 33,203 | 65.4% | 33.1 pts (16,794 votes) | 50,782 | — | 17.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 39,077 | 65.7% | 32.4 pts (19,278 votes) | 59,492 | +1.1 pts | 15.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 42,849 | 61.4% | 24.0 pts (16,748 votes) | 69,770 | +8.5 pts | 15.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 44,042 | 62.6% | 26.6 pts (18,720 votes) | 70,363 | -2.7 pts | 16.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 46,025 | 61.5% | 27.5 pts (20,570 votes) | 74,851 | -1.8 pts | 13.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 51,589 | 60.6% | 22.7 pts (19,314 votes) | 85,185 | +5.7 pts | 11.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 53,592 | 62.3% | 25.9 pts (22,294 votes) | 86,091 | -3.2 pts | 8.1 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 | 142,742 | 35.6% of population |
| 2004 | 148,746 | 40.0% of population |
| 2008 | 156,896 | 44.5% of population |
| 2012 | 162,922 | 43.2% of population |
| 2016 | 167,172 | 44.8% of population |
| 2020 | 169,174 | 50.4% of population |
| 2024 | 179,245 | 48.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Aiken shifted 7.6 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
Aiken has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other South Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Aiken voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Aiken has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Aiken?
Aiken's closest recorded margin was in 2020, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 23.0 points (19,314 votes) out of 85,185 total votes cast.
Has Aiken ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Aiken has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Aiken?
The widest margin on record for Aiken was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 33.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Aiken relative to its population?
In 2024, 86,091 votes were recorded in Aiken against a total population of 179,245 (48.0% 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 Aiken a presidential bellwether county?
Aiken has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).