Yankton, South Dakota — Presidential Election Results
Yankton, South Dakota has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 3.6 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 | George W. Bush | Republican | 4,904 | 56.1% | 15.0 pts (1,308 votes) | 8,740 | — | 7.8 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 6,003 | 57.5% | 16.9 pts (1,766 votes) | 10,431 | -1.9 pts | 4.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 5,039 | 50.6% | 2.0 pts (201 votes) | 9,967 | +15.2 pts | 6.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 5,495 | 55.1% | 12.7 pts (1,269 votes) | 9,974 | -11.0 pts | 5.4 pts more Dem. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 5,659 | 58.8% | 24.5 pts (2,358 votes) | 9,623 | -13.3 pts | 5.6 pts more Dem. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,581 | 60.4% | 23.5 pts (2,565 votes) | 10,900 | +2.1 pts | 2.7 pts more Dem. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 6,650 | 61.4% | 25.5 pts (2,767 votes) | 10,832 | -2.1 pts | 3.6 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 | 21,616 | 40.4% of population |
| 2004 | 21,869 | 47.7% of population |
| 2008 | 22,267 | 44.8% of population |
| 2012 | 22,584 | 44.2% of population |
| 2016 | 22,649 | 42.5% of population |
| 2020 | 23,286 | 46.8% of population |
| 2024 | 23,509 | 46.1% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Yankton shifted 10.9 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
Yankton 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 Yankton voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Yankton 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 Yankton?
Yankton's closest recorded margin was in 2008, when John McCain (Republican) won by 2.0 points (201 votes) out of 9,967 total votes cast.
Has Yankton ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Yankton has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Yankton?
The widest margin on record for Yankton was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 26.3 points.
How many votes were cast in Yankton relative to its population?
In 2024, 10,832 votes were recorded in Yankton against a total population of 23,509 (46.1% 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 Yankton a presidential bellwether county?
Yankton 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%).