Dorchester, South Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Dorchester, South Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 3.3 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 | 20,734 | 61.6% | 25.5 pts (8,566 votes) | 33,641 | — | 9.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 26,006 | 62.9% | 27.3 pts (11,273 votes) | 41,317 | -1.6 pts | 10.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 29,929 | 57.1% | 15.5 pts (8,123 votes) | 52,405 | +12.0 pts | 6.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 32,531 | 57.2% | 16.0 pts (9,086 votes) | 56,855 | -0.5 pts | 5.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 34,987 | 55.9% | 17.5 pts (10,932 votes) | 62,567 | -2.3 pts | 3.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 41,913 | 54.2% | 10.5 pts (8,089 votes) | 77,278 | +7.8 pts | 1.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 43,839 | 56.4% | 14.6 pts (11,350 votes) | 77,764 | -4.2 pts | 3.3 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 | 96,757 | 34.8% of population |
| 2004 | 107,337 | 38.5% of population |
| 2008 | 130,593 | 40.1% of population |
| 2012 | 142,608 | 39.9% of population |
| 2016 | 156,173 | 40.1% of population |
| 2020 | 162,059 | 47.7% of population |
| 2024 | 174,663 | 44.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Dorchester shifted 11.2 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
Dorchester 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 Dorchester voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Dorchester 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 Dorchester?
Dorchester's closest recorded margin was in 2020, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 10.7 points (8,089 votes) out of 77,278 total votes cast.
Has Dorchester ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Dorchester has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Dorchester?
The widest margin on record for Dorchester was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 27.7 points.
How many votes were cast in Dorchester relative to its population?
In 2024, 77,764 votes were recorded in Dorchester against a total population of 174,663 (44.5% 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 Dorchester a presidential bellwether county?
Dorchester 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%).