Union, South Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Union, South Dakota has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 11.6 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 | 3,265 | 56.6% | 15.7 pts (907 votes) | 5,772 | — | 7.1 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 3,987 | 56.6% | 14.0 pts (987 votes) | 7,048 | +2.0 pts | 7.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 4,310 | 56.6% | 14.0 pts (1,066 votes) | 7,620 | +0.0 pts | 5.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 4,698 | 61.8% | 25.2 pts (1,916 votes) | 7,596 | -11.5 pts | 7.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 5,290 | 67.0% | 38.8 pts (3,063 votes) | 7,897 | -15.1 pts | 8.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,944 | 67.1% | 36.4 pts (3,219 votes) | 8,855 | +3.6 pts | 10.3 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,160 | 69.4% | 40.7 pts (3,612 votes) | 8,876 | -4.3 pts | 11.6 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 | 12,564 | 45.9% of population |
| 2004 | 13,002 | 54.2% of population |
| 2008 | 13,825 | 55.1% of population |
| 2012 | 14,800 | 51.3% of population |
| 2016 | 15,137 | 52.2% of population |
| 2020 | 16,857 | 52.5% of population |
| 2024 | 17,402 | 51.0% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Union shifted 25.3 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
Union 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 Union voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Union 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 Union?
Union's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 14.1 points (1,066 votes) out of 7,620 total votes cast.
Has Union ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Union has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Union?
The widest margin on record for Union was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 41.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Union relative to its population?
In 2024, 8,876 votes were recorded in Union against a total population of 17,402 (51.0% 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 Union a presidential bellwether county?
Union 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%).