Buffalo, South Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Buffalo, South Dakota has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 57.8 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 256 | 62.7% | 28.4 pts (116 votes) | 408 | — | 52.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 603 | 71.7% | 45.2 pts (380 votes) | 841 | +16.7 pts | 67.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 454 | 74.2% | 48.7 pts (298 votes) | 612 | +2.8 pts | 57.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 472 | 73.6% | 47.7 pts (306 votes) | 641 | -0.9 pts | 66.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 296 | 60.4% | 25.5 pts (125 votes) | 490 | -21.2 pts | 58.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 352 | 64.1% | 30.8 pts (169 votes) | 549 | +4.8 pts | 58.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 291 | 62.4% | 27.3 pts (127 votes) | 466 | -3.7 pts | 57.8 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 | 1,991 | 20.5% of population |
| 2004 | 1,977 | 42.5% of population |
| 2008 | 1,956 | 31.3% of population |
| 2012 | 2,016 | 31.8% of population |
| 2016 | 2,030 | 24.1% of population |
| 2020 | 1,938 | 28.3% of population |
| 2024 | 1,825 | 25.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Buffalo shifted 1.4 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
Buffalo has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and South Dakota's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other South Dakota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Buffalo voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Buffalo 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 Buffalo?
Buffalo's closest recorded margin was in 2016, when Hillary Clinton (Democratic) won by 26.8 points (125 votes) out of 490 total votes cast.
Has Buffalo ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Buffalo has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Buffalo?
The widest margin on record for Buffalo was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 48.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Buffalo relative to its population?
In 2024, 466 votes were recorded in Buffalo against a total population of 1,825 (25.5% 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 Buffalo a presidential bellwether county?
Buffalo has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and South Dakota's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%).