Pennington, South Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Pennington, South Dakota has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 2.7 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 | 24,696 | 67.6% | 37.1 pts (13,573 votes) | 36,557 | — | 14.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 29,976 | 66.7% | 35.1 pts (15,763 votes) | 44,968 | +2.2 pts | 13.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 27,603 | 60.3% | 21.4 pts (9,801 votes) | 45,787 | +14.1 pts | 13.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 28,232 | 63.5% | 29.5 pts (13,107 votes) | 44,464 | -8.6 pts | 11.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 29,804 | 62.4% | 32.9 pts (15,730 votes) | 47,743 | -5.6 pts | 3.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 35,063 | 61.0% | 25.1 pts (14,457 votes) | 57,518 | +9.9 pts | 0.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 35,009 | 61.9% | 26.4 pts (14,958 votes) | 56,580 | -1.2 pts | 2.7 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 | 88,872 | 41.1% of population |
| 2004 | 92,560 | 48.6% of population |
| 2008 | 98,128 | 46.7% of population |
| 2012 | 104,232 | 42.7% of population |
| 2016 | 109,111 | 43.8% of population |
| 2020 | 109,573 | 52.5% of population |
| 2024 | 115,979 | 48.8% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Pennington shifted 10.7 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
Pennington 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 Pennington voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Pennington 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 Pennington?
Pennington's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 21.6 points (9,801 votes) out of 45,787 total votes cast.
Has Pennington ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Pennington has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Pennington?
The widest margin on record for Pennington was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 37.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Pennington relative to its population?
In 2024, 56,580 votes were recorded in Pennington against a total population of 115,979 (48.8% 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 Pennington a presidential bellwether county?
Pennington 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%).