Richland, South Carolina — Presidential Election Results
Richland, South Carolina has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 53.3 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 63,179 | 54.2% | 11.2 pts (13,015 votes) | 116,481 | — | 27.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 76,283 | 57.0% | 15.0 pts (20,071 votes) | 133,801 | +3.7 pts | 32.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 105,656 | 64.0% | 28.9 pts (47,715 votes) | 165,037 | +14.0 pts | 38.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 103,989 | 65.3% | 32.0 pts (50,884 votes) | 159,154 | +3.2 pts | 43.0 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 108,000 | 64.0% | 32.9 pts (55,531 votes) | 168,722 | +2.2 pts | 49.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 132,570 | 68.4% | 38.3 pts (74,257 votes) | 193,822 | +4.3 pts | 50.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 121,110 | 66.4% | 34.6 pts (63,091 votes) | 182,411 | -3.7 pts | 53.3 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 | 321,981 | 36.2% of population |
| 2004 | 345,750 | 38.7% of population |
| 2008 | 373,789 | 44.2% of population |
| 2012 | 393,029 | 40.5% of population |
| 2016 | 409,014 | 41.3% of population |
| 2020 | 415,697 | 46.6% of population |
| 2024 | 430,651 | 42.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Richland shifted 23.7 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
Richland has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other South Carolina Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Richland voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Richland has voted Democratic in 7 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 0 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Richland?
Richland's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 11.5 points (13,015 votes) out of 116,481 total votes cast.
Has Richland ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Richland has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Richland?
The widest margin on record for Richland was in 2020, when Joseph R Biden Jr (Democratic) won by 38.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Richland relative to its population?
In 2024, 182,411 votes were recorded in Richland against a total population of 430,651 (42.4% 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 Richland a presidential bellwether county?
Richland has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and South Carolina's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%).