Darlington, South Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Darlington, South Carolina has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2016. In 2024, it was 4.7 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 | George W. Bush | Republican | 11,290 | 51.6% | 4.7 pts (1,037 votes) | 21,863 | — | 11.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 13,416 | 52.7% | 6.2 pts (1,587 votes) | 25,454 | -1.5 pts | 11.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 14,544 | 49.6% | 0.1 pts (39 votes) | 29,334 | +6.2 pts | 9.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 15,457 | 51.3% | 3.4 pts (1,023 votes) | 30,150 | +3.6 pts | 14.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 14,989 | 50.5% | 3.7 pts (1,101 votes) | 29,674 | -7.2 pts | 11.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 16,832 | 51.9% | 5.0 pts (1,612 votes) | 32,417 | -1.2 pts | 6.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 17,017 | 56.1% | 13.3 pts (4,040 votes) | 30,331 | -8.4 pts | 4.7 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 | 67,523 | 32.4% of population |
| 2004 | 68,155 | 37.3% of population |
| 2008 | 68,773 | 42.7% of population |
| 2012 | 68,056 | 44.3% of population |
| 2016 | 67,259 | 44.1% of population |
| 2020 | 62,842 | 51.6% of population |
| 2024 | 62,425 | 48.6% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Darlington shifted 8.7 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
Darlington has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other South Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Darlington voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Darlington has voted Democratic in 1 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 6 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Darlington?
Darlington's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 0.1 points (39 votes) out of 29,334 total votes cast.
Has Darlington ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Darlington changed which party won the county in: 2012, 2016, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Darlington?
The widest margin on record for Darlington was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 13.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Darlington relative to its population?
In 2024, 30,331 votes were recorded in Darlington against a total population of 62,425 (48.6% 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 Darlington a presidential bellwether county?
Darlington has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).