Beaufort, South Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Beaufort, South Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 3.5 pts more Dem. 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 | 25,561 | 57.9% | 18.3 pts (8,074 votes) | 44,148 | — | 2.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 33,331 | 60.3% | 21.4 pts (11,826 votes) | 55,235 | -2.8 pts | 4.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 37,821 | 54.9% | 10.8 pts (7,425 votes) | 68,870 | +10.7 pts | 1.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 42,687 | 58.2% | 17.5 pts (12,839 votes) | 73,297 | -6.8 pts | 7.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 42,922 | 54.7% | 13.7 pts (10,784 votes) | 78,524 | +3.3 pts | 0.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 53,194 | 54.4% | 10.0 pts (9,775 votes) | 97,835 | +4.2 pts | 1.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 59,123 | 56.6% | 14.5 pts (15,121 votes) | 104,403 | -4.5 pts | 3.5 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 | 122,306 | 36.1% of population |
| 2004 | 136,331 | 40.5% of population |
| 2008 | 156,399 | 44.0% of population |
| 2012 | 167,415 | 43.8% of population |
| 2016 | 183,184 | 42.9% of population |
| 2020 | 187,829 | 52.1% of population |
| 2024 | 201,775 | 51.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Beaufort shifted 4.1 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
Beaufort 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 Beaufort voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Beaufort 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 Beaufort?
Beaufort's closest recorded margin was in 2020, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 10.1 points (9,775 votes) out of 97,835 total votes cast.
Has Beaufort ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Beaufort has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Beaufort?
The widest margin on record for Beaufort was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 21.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Beaufort relative to its population?
In 2024, 104,403 votes were recorded in Beaufort against a total population of 201,775 (51.7% 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 Beaufort a presidential bellwether county?
Beaufort 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%).