Brown, South Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Brown, South Dakota has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 2.6 pts more Dem. than South Dakota 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 Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 9,060 | 54.7% | 11.4 pts (1,887 votes) | 16,556 | — | 11.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 10,386 | 55.8% | 13.1 pts (2,443 votes) | 18,599 | -1.7 pts | 8.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 9,041 | 52.4% | 5.6 pts (974 votes) | 17,253 | +19.0 pts | 14.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 8,321 | 51.8% | 6.7 pts (1,071 votes) | 16,068 | -12.6 pts | 11.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 9,613 | 59.7% | 25.8 pts (4,161 votes) | 16,114 | -20.7 pts | 4.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,580 | 60.3% | 23.0 pts (4,042 votes) | 17,547 | +4.0 pts | 3.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 10,645 | 62.5% | 26.8 pts (4,570 votes) | 17,043 | -3.7 pts | 2.6 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 | 35,472 | 46.7% of population |
| 2004 | 35,329 | 52.6% of population |
| 2008 | 35,865 | 48.1% of population |
| 2012 | 37,569 | 42.8% of population |
| 2016 | 38,900 | 41.4% of population |
| 2020 | 38,219 | 45.9% of population |
| 2024 | 37,495 | 45.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Brown shifted 15.7 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
Brown has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and South Dakota's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other South Dakota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Brown voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Brown 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 Brown?
Brown's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 5.7 points (974 votes) out of 17,253 total votes cast.
Has Brown ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Brown changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Brown?
The widest margin on record for Brown was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 27.6 points.
How many votes were cast in Brown relative to its population?
In 2024, 17,043 votes were recorded in Brown against a total population of 37,495 (45.5% 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 Brown a presidential bellwether county?
Brown has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and South Dakota's own statewide winner in 6 of 7 (86%).