Amherst, Virginia — Presidential Election Results
Amherst, Virginia has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 42.7 pts more Rep. than Virginia 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. Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 6,660 | 56.9% | 15.8 pts (1,848 votes) | 11,712 | — | 7.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 7,758 | 61.1% | 22.8 pts (2,892 votes) | 12,695 | -6.8 pts | 14.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 8,470 | 57.6% | 16.2 pts (2,376 votes) | 14,700 | +6.6 pts | 22.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 8,876 | 59.3% | 19.9 pts (2,976 votes) | 14,970 | -3.8 pts | 24.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 9,719 | 63.1% | 30.3 pts (4,662 votes) | 15,396 | -11.4 pts | 37.2 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 11,041 | 64.9% | 31.6 pts (5,369 votes) | 17,005 | -0.6 pts | 42.4 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 11,742 | 67.9% | 36.5 pts (6,313 votes) | 17,303 | -4.6 pts | 42.7 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 | 31,854 | 36.8% of population |
| 2004 | 31,783 | 39.9% of population |
| 2008 | 32,510 | 45.2% of population |
| 2012 | 32,630 | 45.9% of population |
| 2016 | 31,887 | 48.3% of population |
| 2020 | 31,313 | 54.3% of population |
| 2024 | 31,650 | 54.7% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Amherst shifted 20.7 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
Amherst has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Virginia's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Virginia Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Amherst voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Amherst 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 Amherst?
Amherst's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 16.1 points (1,848 votes) out of 11,712 total votes cast.
Has Amherst ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Amherst has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Amherst?
The widest margin on record for Amherst was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 36.8 points.
How many votes were cast in Amherst relative to its population?
In 2024, 17,303 votes were recorded in Amherst against a total population of 31,650 (54.7% 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 Amherst a presidential bellwether county?
Amherst has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Virginia's own statewide winner in 2 of 7 (29%).