Custer, South Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Custer, South Dakota has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 16.8 pts more Rep. 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 | 2,495 | 69.8% | 43.1 pts (1,540 votes) | 3,573 | — | 21.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 2,922 | 67.9% | 38.3 pts (1,650 votes) | 4,304 | +5.3 pts | 17.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 2,909 | 65.4% | 32.2 pts (1,434 votes) | 4,450 | +6.6 pts | 24.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 3,062 | 67.7% | 38.2 pts (1,727 votes) | 4,520 | -6.6 pts | 20.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 3,293 | 69.8% | 46.0 pts (2,172 votes) | 4,721 | -9.9 pts | 17.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 3,852 | 70.1% | 42.4 pts (2,330 votes) | 5,494 | +5.9 pts | 16.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 4,313 | 71.9% | 45.8 pts (2,746 votes) | 6,001 | -3.3 pts | 16.8 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 | 7,345 | 48.6% of population |
| 2004 | 7,795 | 55.2% of population |
| 2008 | 8,060 | 55.2% of population |
| 2012 | 8,315 | 54.4% of population |
| 2016 | 8,606 | 54.9% of population |
| 2020 | 8,342 | 65.9% of population |
| 2024 | 9,330 | 64.3% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Custer shifted 2.1 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
Custer has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and South Dakota's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other South Dakota Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Custer voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Custer 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 Custer?
Custer's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 32.7 points (1,434 votes) out of 4,450 total votes cast.
Has Custer ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Custer has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Custer?
The widest margin on record for Custer was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 49.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Custer relative to its population?
In 2024, 6,001 votes were recorded in Custer against a total population of 9,330 (64.3% 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 Custer a presidential bellwether county?
Custer has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and South Dakota's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).