Chester, South Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Chester, South Carolina has voted Republican in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 0.7 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 5,242 | 50.2% | 2.5 pts (256 votes) | 10,432 | — | 18.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 5,798 | 49.4% | 0.1 pts (8 votes) | 11,729 | -2.6 pts | 17.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 7,478 | 53.5% | 8.3 pts (1,160 votes) | 13,981 | +8.5 pts | 17.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 7,891 | 54.8% | 10.6 pts (1,524 votes) | 14,407 | +2.3 pts | 21.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 7,265 | 51.2% | 4.8 pts (686 votes) | 14,192 | -15.6 pts | 10.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 8,660 | 55.0% | 10.9 pts (1,719 votes) | 15,757 | -6.1 pts | 0.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 9,030 | 58.0% | 17.2 pts (2,677 votes) | 15,556 | -6.4 pts | 0.7 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 | 34,159 | 30.5% of population |
| 2004 | 33,633 | 34.9% of population |
| 2008 | 33,454 | 41.8% of population |
| 2012 | 32,703 | 44.1% of population |
| 2016 | 32,297 | 43.9% of population |
| 2020 | 32,291 | 48.8% of population |
| 2024 | 32,323 | 48.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Chester shifted 19.9 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
Chester has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other South Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Chester voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Chester has voted Democratic in 3 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 4 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Chester?
Chester's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 0.1 points (8 votes) out of 11,729 total votes cast.
Has Chester ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Chester changed which party won the county in: 2004, 2008, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Chester?
The widest margin on record for Chester was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 17.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Chester relative to its population?
In 2024, 15,556 votes were recorded in Chester against a total population of 32,323 (48.1% 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 Chester a presidential bellwether county?
Chester has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 4 of 7 (57%).