Cracked BuckeyeCracked Buckeye

Defiance County · Presidential elections

Defiance County in presidential elections, 1852-2024

Defiance County has voted in 44 presidential elections in this record, from 1852 to 2024. It went Republican 24 times and Democratic 20 times. It has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1968, 15 in a row; the last Democrat to carry it was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, by 26.6 points. In 2024 Donald J Trump won it with 69.44% of the vote, a 39.9-point margin over Kamala D Harris. Measured as the Republican share minus the Democratic share, the county was 28.6 points more Republican than Ohio, and it ranked 55th of 88 counties from most Republican to most Democratic.

Defiance CountyOhio's presidential recordWhat's on your ballot?

Correct this page · hello@crackedbuckeye.com

What 44 elections add up to

Each line is worked out from the table further down. "Margin" there is the winner's share minus the runner-up's; "lean" is the Republican share minus the Democratic share.

With the nation
Defiance County voted for the candidate who won the presidency in 23 of 44 elections, 75th among Ohio's 88 counties by that count (tied with 6 others). The most recent miss was 2020, when it voted for Donald J Trump and the country elected Joe Biden.
With Ohio
It voted the same way as Ohio as a whole in 23 of 44 elections. The last time it parted from the state was 2012: Mitt Romney carried the county, Barack H. Obama carried Ohio.
Years it changed sides
The party carrying the county changed 5 times: in 1920, 1932, 1940, 1964 and 1968.
Closest result
1904: Alton B. Parker (Democratic) over Theodore Roosevelt by 2.88 points, 184 votes.
Widest result
2024: Donald J Trump (Republican) with 69.44%, 39.9 points ahead of Kamala D Harris.
Biggest move toward the Republicans
From 1964 to 1968 the margin moved 38.5 points toward the Republicans, from D+26.6 to R+11.9.
Biggest move toward the Democrats
From 1928 to 1932 the margin moved 53.8 points toward the Democrats, from R+28.7 to D+25.1.
Outside the two parties
Theodore Roosevelt (Progressive) took 26.51% in 1912, 1,459 votes, the largest share any candidate outside the two major parties has won in the county.
Where it stands among the 88
Ranked by margin each year, from most Republican (1st) to most Democratic, the county stood highest in 1940 (8th of 88, R+30.0) and lowest in 1896 (83rd of 88, D+27.2). Since 2000 it has moved from 40th to 55th.
Votes and turnout
1,489 votes were counted for president in 1852 and 19,156 in 2024. Turnout in 2024 was 72.34% of registered voters, 65th among the 88 counties (Ohio: 71.71%).

Every election at a glance

One bar per election, oldest at the left; bar height is the winning margin, color the winner's party. The dot rows mark the years the county matched Ohio's winner and the nation's. Each bar opens that year's full count.

Presidential election results by margin, DefianceDefiance's presidential margin has run from 1852 to 2024; bar height is the winning margin, color the winning party.1852: Franklin Pierce (D), 23.1-point margin1852: matched Ohio’s winner1852: matched the nation1856: James Buchanan (D), 4.2-point margin1856: missed Ohio’s winner1856: matched the nation1860: Stephen A. Douglas (D), 11.2-point margin1860: missed Ohio’s winner1860: missed the nation1864: George B. McClellan (D), 15.7-point margin1864: missed Ohio’s winner1864: missed the nation1868: Horatio Seymour (D), 26.3-point margin1868: missed Ohio’s winner1868: missed the nation1872: Horace Greeley (LR), 22.0-point margin1872: missed Ohio’s winner1872: missed the nation1876: Samuel J. Tilden (D), 31.0-point margin1876: missed Ohio’s winner1876: missed the nation1880: Winfield Scott Hancock (D), 22.6-point margin1880: missed Ohio’s winner1880: missed the nation1884: Grover Cleveland (D), 20.0-point margin1884: missed Ohio’s winner1884: matched the nation1888: Grover Cleveland (D), 21.9-point margin1888: missed Ohio’s winner1888: missed the nation1892: Grover Cleveland (D), 21.3-point margin1892: missed Ohio’s winner1892: matched the nation1896: William Jennings Bryan (D), 27.2-point margin1896: missed Ohio’s winner1896: missed the nation1900: William Jennings Bryan (D), 16.5-point margin1900: missed Ohio’s winner1900: missed the nation1904: Alton B. Parker (D), 2.9-point margin1904: missed Ohio’s winner1904: missed the nation1908: William Jennings Bryan (D), 18.9-point margin1908: missed Ohio’s winner1908: missed the nation1912: Woodrow Wilson (D), 24.1-point margin1912: matched Ohio’s winner1912: matched the nation1916: Woodrow Wilson (D), 13.1-point margin1916: matched Ohio’s winner1916: matched the nation1920: Warren G. Harding (R), 22.9-point margin1920: matched Ohio’s winner1920: matched the nation1924: Calvin Coolidge (R), 17.5-point margin1924: matched Ohio’s winner1924: matched the nation1928: Herbert Hoover (R), 28.7-point margin1928: matched Ohio’s winner1928: matched the nation1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), 25.1-point margin1932: matched Ohio’s winner1932: matched the nation1936: Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), 5.2-point margin1936: matched Ohio’s winner1936: matched the nation1940: Wendell Willkie (R), 30.0-point margin1940: missed Ohio’s winner1940: missed the nation1944: Thomas E. Dewey (R), 34.4-point margin1944: matched Ohio’s winner1944: missed the nation1948: Thomas E. Dewey (R), 14.1-point margin1948: missed Ohio’s winner1948: missed the nation1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), 36.0-point margin1952: matched Ohio’s winner1952: matched the nation1956: Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), 38.1-point margin1956: matched Ohio’s winner1956: matched the nation1960: Richard Nixon (R), 26.2-point margin1960: matched Ohio’s winner1960: missed the nation1964: Lyndon B. Johnson (D), 26.6-point margin1964: matched Ohio’s winner1964: matched the nation1968: Richard Nixon (R), 11.9-point margin1968: matched Ohio’s winner1968: matched the nation1972: Richard Nixon (R), 33.3-point margin1972: matched Ohio’s winner1972: matched the nation1976: Gerald Ford (R), 12.2-point margin1976: missed Ohio’s winner1976: missed the nation1980: Ronald Reagan (R), 27.2-point margin1980: matched Ohio’s winner1980: matched the nation1984: Ronald Reagan (R), 36.9-point margin1984: matched Ohio’s winner1984: matched the nation1988: George H.W. Bush (R), 27.2-point margin1988: matched Ohio’s winner1988: matched the nation1992: George H.W. Bush (R), 8.5-point margin1992: missed Ohio’s winner1992: missed the nation1996: Robert Dole (R), 7.1-point margin1996: missed Ohio’s winner1996: missed the nation2000: George W. Bush (R), 20.7-point margin2000: matched Ohio’s winner2000: matched the nation2004: George W. Bush (R), 23.9-point margin2004: matched Ohio’s winner2004: matched the nation2008: John McCain (R), 10.5-point margin2008: missed Ohio’s winner2008: missed the nation2012: Mitt Romney (R), 13.4-point margin2012: missed Ohio’s winner2012: missed the nation2016: Donald Trump (R), 34.7-point margin2016: matched Ohio’s winner2016: matched the nation2020: Donald J Trump (R), 36.4-point margin2020: matched Ohio’s winner2020: missed the nation2024: Donald J Trump (R), 39.9-point margin2024: matched Ohio’s winner2024: matched the nation1852187218921912193219521972199220122024
Presidential election results by margin, DefianceDefiance's presidential margin has run from 1852 to 2024; bar height is the winning margin, color the winning party.Source: Wikipedia · as of 2026-09-18 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
YearWinnerPartyMarginMatched Ohio's winnerMatched the nation
1852Franklin PierceD23.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1856James BuchananD4.2 pointsmissedmatched
1860Stephen A. DouglasD11.2 pointsmissedmissed
1864George B. McClellanD15.7 pointsmissedmissed
1868Horatio SeymourD26.3 pointsmissedmissed
1872Horace GreeleyLR22.0 pointsmissedmissed
1876Samuel J. TildenD31.0 pointsmissedmissed
1880Winfield Scott HancockD22.6 pointsmissedmissed
1884Grover ClevelandD20.0 pointsmissedmatched
1888Grover ClevelandD21.9 pointsmissedmissed
1892Grover ClevelandD21.3 pointsmissedmatched
1896William Jennings BryanD27.2 pointsmissedmissed
1900William Jennings BryanD16.5 pointsmissedmissed
1904Alton B. ParkerD2.9 pointsmissedmissed
1908William Jennings BryanD18.9 pointsmissedmissed
1912Woodrow WilsonD24.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1916Woodrow WilsonD13.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1920Warren G. HardingR22.9 pointsmatchedmatched
1924Calvin CoolidgeR17.5 pointsmatchedmatched
1928Herbert HooverR28.7 pointsmatchedmatched
1932Franklin D. RooseveltD25.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1936Franklin D. RooseveltD5.2 pointsmatchedmatched
1940Wendell WillkieR30.0 pointsmissedmissed
1944Thomas E. DeweyR34.4 pointsmatchedmissed
1948Thomas E. DeweyR14.1 pointsmissedmissed
1952Dwight D. EisenhowerR36.0 pointsmatchedmatched
1956Dwight D. EisenhowerR38.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1960Richard NixonR26.2 pointsmatchedmissed
1964Lyndon B. JohnsonD26.6 pointsmatchedmatched
1968Richard NixonR11.9 pointsmatchedmatched
1972Richard NixonR33.3 pointsmatchedmatched
1976Gerald FordR12.2 pointsmissedmissed
1980Ronald ReaganR27.2 pointsmatchedmatched
1984Ronald ReaganR36.9 pointsmatchedmatched
1988George H.W. BushR27.2 pointsmatchedmatched
1992George H.W. BushR8.5 pointsmissedmissed
1996Robert DoleR7.1 pointsmissedmissed
2000George W. BushR20.7 pointsmatchedmatched
2004George W. BushR23.9 pointsmatchedmatched
2008John McCainR10.5 pointsmissedmissed
2012Mitt RomneyR13.4 pointsmissedmissed
2016Donald TrumpR34.7 pointsmatchedmatched
2020Donald J TrumpR36.4 pointsmatchedmissed
2024Donald J TrumpR39.9 pointsmatchedmatched

Year by year, 1852 to 2024

Newest first. Rank is the county's place among Ohio's counties that year from most Republican (1) to most Democratic, by lean. Lincoln's 1864 National Union ticket is counted as Republican and Horace Greeley's 1872 Liberal Republican ticket, which the Democrats also nominated, as Democratic; 1852 had no Republican ticket, so it has no lean or rank.

YearCarried byPartyShareRunner-upMarginLeanOhioRankWith OhioWith the nation
2024 Donald J TrumpRepublican69.44%Kamala D Harris 39.9R+39.9R+11.2 55YesYes
2020 Donald J TrumpRepublican67.27%Joseph R Biden Jr. 36.4R+36.4R+8.0 58YesNo
2016 Donald TrumpRepublican64.25%Hillary Clinton 34.7R+34.7R+8.1 58YesYes
2012 Mitt RomneyRepublican55.64%Barack Obama 13.4R+13.4D+3.0 49NoNo
2008 John McCainRepublican54.21%Barack Obama 10.5R+10.5D+4.6 46NoNo
2004 George W. BushRepublican61.54%John Kerry 23.9R+23.9R+2.1 38YesYes
2000 George W. BushRepublican58.74%Al Gore 20.7R+20.7R+3.5 40YesYes
1996 Robert DoleRepublican47%Bill Clinton 7.1R+7.1D+6.4 35NoNo
1992 George H.W. BushRepublican41.8%Bill Clinton 8.5R+8.5D+1.8 38NoNo
1988 George H.W. BushRepublican63.13%Michael Dukakis 27.2R+27.2R+10.8 37YesYes
1984 Ronald ReaganRepublican67.89%Walter F. Mondale 36.9R+36.9R+18.8 38YesYes
1980 Ronald ReaganRepublican59.84%Jimmy Carter 27.2R+27.2R+10.6 27YesYes
1976 Gerald FordRepublican55.02%Jimmy Carter 12.2R+12.2D+0.2 29NoNo
1972 Richard NixonRepublican65.4%George McGovern 33.3R+33.3R+21.6 47YesYes
1968 Richard NixonRepublican52.64%Hubert Humphrey 11.9R+11.9R+2.3 54YesYes
1964 Lyndon B. JohnsonDemocratic63.3%Barry Goldwater 26.6D+26.6D+25.9 65YesYes
1960 Richard NixonRepublican63.12%John F. Kennedy 26.2R+26.2R+6.6 38YesNo
1956 Dwight D. EisenhowerRepublican69.03%Adlai E. Stevenson 38.1R+38.1R+22.2 34YesYes
1952 Dwight D. EisenhowerRepublican67.98%Adlai Stevenson 36.0R+36.0R+13.5 21YesYes
1948 Thomas E. DeweyRepublican56.94%Harry S. Truman 14.2R+14.2D+0.2 30NoNo
1944 Thomas E. DeweyRepublican67.21%Franklin D. Roosevelt 34.4R+34.4R+0.4 12YesNo
1940 Wendell WillkieRepublican65%Franklin D. Roosevelt 30.0R+30.0D+4.4 8NoNo
1936 Franklin D. RooseveltDemocratic48.05%Alf Landon 5.2D+5.2D+20.6 35YesYes
1932 Franklin D. RooseveltDemocratic61.65%Herbert Hoover 25.1D+25.1D+2.9 80YesYes
1928 Herbert HooverRepublican64.33%Al Smith 28.7R+28.7R+30.4 66YesYes
1924 Calvin CoolidgeRepublican52.55%John W. Davis 17.5R+17.5R+34.6 64YesYes
1920 Warren G. HardingRepublican60.54%James M. Cox 22.9R+22.9R+19.9 33YesYes
1916 Woodrow WilsonDemocratic55.47%Charles Evans Hughes 13.1D+13.1D+7.7 59YesYes
1912 Woodrow WilsonDemocratic50.58%Theodore Roosevelt 24.1D+34.7D+14.1 78YesYes
1908 William Jennings BryanDemocratic57.91%William Howard Taft 18.9D+18.9R+6.2 79NoNo
1904 Alton B. ParkerDemocratic50.31%Theodore Roosevelt 2.9D+2.9R+25.4 74NoNo
1900 William Jennings BryanDemocratic57.25%William McKinley 16.4D+16.4R+6.6 76NoNo
1896 William Jennings BryanDemocratic63.24%William McKinley 27.2D+27.2R+4.8 83NoNo
1892 Grover ClevelandDemocratic56.35%Benjamin Harrison 21.3D+21.3R+0.1 79NoYes
1888 Grover ClevelandDemocratic59.15%Benjamin Harrison 21.9D+21.9R+2.3 78NoNo
1884 Grover ClevelandDemocratic59.58%James G. Blaine 20.0D+20.0R+4.0 78NoYes
1880 Winfield Scott HancockDemocratic61.01%James A. Garfield 22.6D+22.6R+4.7 79NoNo
1876 Samuel J. TildenDemocratic65.41%Rutherford B. Hayes 31.0D+31.0R+1.1 83NoNo
1872 Horace GreeleyLiberal Republican60.29%Ulysses S. Grant 22.0D+22.0R+7.1 81NoNo
1868 Horatio SeymourDemocratic63.15%Ulysses S. Grant 26.3D+26.3R+8.0 83NoNo
1864 George B. McClellanDemocratic57.85%Abraham Lincoln 15.7D+15.7R+12.7 79NoNo
1860 Stephen A. DouglasDemocratic55.11%Abraham Lincoln 11.2D+11.2R+10.0 76NoNo
1856 James BuchananDemocratic51.03%John C. Frémont 4.2D+4.2R+4.3 59NoYes
1852 Franklin PierceDemocratic60.11%Winfield Scott 23.1—— —YesYes

Turnout, 1996-2024

Ballots cast in the November general election per registered voter, as the Ohio Secretary of State reports them. This record holds county turnout from 1996 on.

YearRegisteredBallots castTurnout
202426,81819,40172.34%
202026,41119,61374.26%
201625,62918,60372.59%
201225,79118,46171.58%
200826,50419,23272.56%
200425,84918,85372.94%
200025,78316,61064.42%
199623,80416,28668.42%

Sources

Data from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0: 1852 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1856 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1860 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1864 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1868 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1872 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1876 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1880 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1884 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1888 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1892 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1896 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1900 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1904 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1908 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1912 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1916 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1920 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1924 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1928 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1932 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1936 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1940 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1944 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1948 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1952 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1956 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1960 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1964 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1968 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1972 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1976 United States presidential election in Ohio · 1980 United States presidential election in Ohio

  1. oh_1984_general_president_county.xlsx -- Ohio Secretary of State Past Election Results portal · Ohio Secretary of State · 1984-11-06 · accessed 2026-09-17
  2. County Presidential Election Returns 2000-2024 (V20) · MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL), Harvard Dataverse · 2000-11-07 · accessed 2026-09-17
  3. U.S. Electoral College results by year · National Archives and Records Administration

Cite and data

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "Defiance County in presidential elections, 1852-2024", https://crackedbuckeye.com/county/defiance/president/, built 2026-10-19, accessed [date].

How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-10-19