Clay, South Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Clay, South Dakota has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 36.6 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 | Al Gore | Democratic | 2,638 | 51.7% | 5.4 pts (275 votes) | 5,105 | — | 28.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 3,315 | 54.0% | 10.2 pts (623 votes) | 6,136 | +4.9 pts | 32.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 3,808 | 61.8% | 24.5 pts (1,512 votes) | 6,159 | +14.4 pts | 33.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 2,955 | 56.5% | 15.4 pts (808 votes) | 5,234 | -8.9 pts | 34.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 2,608 | 51.4% | 9.8 pts (499 votes) | 5,069 | -5.3 pts | 42.5 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 3,083 | 54.1% | 11.0 pts (627 votes) | 5,698 | +0.7 pts | 38.2 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 2,944 | 52.0% | 6.5 pts (370 votes) | 5,657 | -4.6 pts | 36.6 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 | 13,510 | 37.8% of population |
| 2004 | 13,449 | 45.6% of population |
| 2008 | 13,959 | 44.1% of population |
| 2012 | 14,064 | 37.2% of population |
| 2016 | 13,933 | 36.4% of population |
| 2020 | 15,003 | 38.0% of population |
| 2024 | 15,245 | 37.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Clay shifted 1.2 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
Clay 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 Clay voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Clay 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 Clay?
Clay's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 5.5 points (275 votes) out of 5,105 total votes cast.
Has Clay ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Clay has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Clay?
The widest margin on record for Clay was in 2008, when Barack Obama (Democratic) won by 24.8 points.
How many votes were cast in Clay relative to its population?
In 2024, 5,657 votes were recorded in Clay against a total population of 15,245 (37.1% 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 Clay a presidential bellwether county?
Clay 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%).