Lancaster, South Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Lancaster, South Carolina has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 6.9 pts more Rep. 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 | 11,676 | 56.4% | 14.0 pts (2,894 votes) | 20,705 | — | 2.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 12,916 | 62.1% | 25.4 pts (5,285 votes) | 20,814 | -11.6 pts | 8.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 16,441 | 56.8% | 14.9 pts (4,302 votes) | 28,921 | +10.7 pts | 6.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 19,333 | 58.3% | 17.8 pts (5,914 votes) | 33,144 | -3.0 pts | 7.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 23,719 | 60.9% | 25.4 pts (9,907 votes) | 38,938 | -8.3 pts | 11.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 30,312 | 60.8% | 22.8 pts (11,375 votes) | 49,868 | +3.3 pts | 11.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 33,623 | 61.8% | 24.8 pts (13,477 votes) | 54,427 | -2.0 pts | 6.9 pts more Rep. |
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 | 61,571 | 33.6% of population |
| 2004 | 65,079 | 32.0% of population |
| 2008 | 72,733 | 39.8% of population |
| 2012 | 79,315 | 41.8% of population |
| 2016 | 89,823 | 43.3% of population |
| 2020 | 96,592 | 51.6% of population |
| 2024 | 111,652 | 48.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Lancaster shifted 10.9 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
Lancaster 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 Lancaster voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Lancaster 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 Lancaster?
Lancaster's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 14.1 points (2,894 votes) out of 20,705 total votes cast.
Has Lancaster ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Lancaster has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Lancaster?
The widest margin on record for Lancaster was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 26.4 points.
How many votes were cast in Lancaster relative to its population?
In 2024, 54,427 votes were recorded in Lancaster against a total population of 111,652 (48.7% 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 Lancaster a presidential bellwether county?
Lancaster 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%).