Hughes, South Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Hughes, South Dakota has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 1.0 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 | 5,188 | 68.9% | 39.5 pts (2,976 votes) | 7,534 | — | 17.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 6,017 | 68.1% | 37.6 pts (3,320 votes) | 8,835 | +2.1 pts | 16.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 5,298 | 63.2% | 27.0 pts (2,261 votes) | 8,386 | +11.0 pts | 18.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 5,219 | 64.0% | 29.8 pts (2,433 votes) | 8,155 | -3.3 pts | 12.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 5,174 | 63.3% | 33.3 pts (2,724 votes) | 8,175 | -5.3 pts | 3.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,522 | 63.3% | 29.5 pts (2,569 votes) | 8,723 | +5.4 pts | 3.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,379 | 63.8% | 30.1 pts (2,541 votes) | 8,435 | -0.6 pts | 1.0 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 | 16,505 | 45.6% of population |
| 2004 | 16,573 | 53.3% of population |
| 2008 | 16,690 | 50.2% of population |
| 2012 | 17,435 | 46.8% of population |
| 2016 | 17,604 | 46.4% of population |
| 2020 | 17,741 | 49.2% of population |
| 2024 | 17,526 | 48.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Hughes shifted 9.3 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
Hughes 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 Hughes voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Hughes 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 Hughes?
Hughes's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 27.1 points (2,261 votes) out of 8,386 total votes cast.
Has Hughes ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Hughes has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Hughes?
The widest margin on record for Hughes was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 40.2 points.
How many votes were cast in Hughes relative to its population?
In 2024, 8,435 votes were recorded in Hughes against a total population of 17,526 (48.1% 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 Hughes a presidential bellwether county?
Hughes 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%).