Charleston, South Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Charleston, South Carolina has voted Democratic in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Democratic in 2008. In 2024, it was 23.9 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 | 58,229 | 52.2% | 7.8 pts (8,709 votes) | 111,476 | — | 8.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 70,297 | 51.6% | 4.8 pts (6,539 votes) | 136,316 | +3.2 pts | 12.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 82,698 | 53.5% | 8.3 pts (12,876 votes) | 154,434 | +13.3 pts | 17.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 81,487 | 50.4% | 2.4 pts (3,858 votes) | 161,707 | -6.0 pts | 13.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 89,299 | 50.6% | 7.9 pts (13,856 votes) | 176,345 | +6.0 pts | 23.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 121,485 | 55.5% | 12.9 pts (28,188 votes) | 218,857 | +4.7 pts | 25.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 111,427 | 51.9% | 5.7 pts (12,162 votes) | 214,521 | -7.4 pts | 23.9 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 | 310,749 | 35.9% of population |
| 2004 | 328,105 | 41.5% of population |
| 2008 | 341,921 | 45.2% of population |
| 2012 | 364,628 | 44.3% of population |
| 2016 | 396,880 | 44.4% of population |
| 2020 | 409,958 | 53.4% of population |
| 2024 | 431,001 | 49.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Charleston shifted 13.9 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
Charleston has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other South Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Charleston voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Charleston has voted Democratic in 5 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 2 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Charleston?
Charleston's closest recorded margin was in 2012, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 2.4 points (3,858 votes) out of 161,707 total votes cast.
Has Charleston ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Charleston changed which party won the county in: 2008, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Charleston?
The widest margin on record for Charleston was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 13.1 points.
How many votes were cast in Charleston relative to its population?
In 2024, 214,521 votes were recorded in Charleston against a total population of 431,001 (49.8% 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 Charleston a presidential bellwether county?
Charleston has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).