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Mercer County · Presidential elections

Mercer County in presidential elections, 1852-2024

Mercer County has voted in 44 presidential elections in this record, from 1852 to 2024. It went Democratic 24 times and Republican 20 times. It has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1972, 14 in a row; the last Democrat to carry it was Hubert Humphrey in 1968, by 3.4 points. In 2024 Donald J Trump won it with 82.98% of the vote, a 66.7-point margin over Kamala D Harris. Measured as the Republican share minus the Democratic share, the county was 55.5 points more Republican than Ohio, and it ranked 3rd of 88 counties from most Republican to most Democratic.

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

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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
Mercer County voted for the candidate who won the presidency in 21 of 44 elections, 87th among Ohio's 88 counties by that count. 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 21 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 7 times: in 1920, 1924, 1940, 1948, 1952, 1964 and 1972.
Closest result
1960: Richard Nixon (Republican) over John F. Kennedy by 0.04 points, 5 votes.
Widest result
2024: Donald J Trump (Republican) with 82.98%, 66.7 points ahead of Kamala D Harris.
Biggest move toward the Republicans
From 1936 to 1940 the margin moved 48.8 points toward the Republicans, from D+27.4 to R+21.4. Lean counts only the two major parties; William Lemke (Union) took 18.0% in 1936.
Biggest move toward the Democrats
From 1960 to 1964 the margin moved 39.5 points toward the Democrats, from even to D+39.5.
Outside the two parties
H. Ross Perot (Independent) took 26.49% in 1992, 4,913 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 2016 (1st of 88, R+65.0) and lowest in 1932 (88th of 88, D+43.2). Since 2000 it has moved from 6th to 3rd.
Votes and turnout
1,340 votes were counted for president in 1852 and 23,753 in 2024. Turnout in 2024 was 80.76% of registered voters, 3rd 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, MercerMercer's presidential margin has run from 1852 to 2024; bar height is the winning margin, color the winning party.1852: Franklin Pierce (D), 24.6-point margin1852: matched Ohio’s winner1852: matched the nation1856: James Buchanan (D), 27.9-point margin1856: missed Ohio’s winner1856: matched the nation1860: Stephen A. Douglas (D), 31.6-point margin1860: missed Ohio’s winner1860: missed the nation1864: George B. McClellan (D), 39.6-point margin1864: missed Ohio’s winner1864: missed the nation1868: Horatio Seymour (D), 46.1-point margin1868: missed Ohio’s winner1868: missed the nation1872: Horace Greeley (LR), 33.9-point margin1872: missed Ohio’s winner1872: missed the nation1876: Samuel J. Tilden (D), 43.1-point margin1876: missed Ohio’s winner1876: missed the nation1880: Winfield Scott Hancock (D), 39.0-point margin1880: missed Ohio’s winner1880: missed the nation1884: Grover Cleveland (D), 45.6-point margin1884: missed Ohio’s winner1884: matched the nation1888: Grover Cleveland (D), 37.6-point margin1888: missed Ohio’s winner1888: missed the nation1892: Grover Cleveland (D), 36.6-point margin1892: missed Ohio’s winner1892: matched the nation1896: William Jennings Bryan (D), 41.0-point margin1896: missed Ohio’s winner1896: missed the nation1900: William Jennings Bryan (D), 37.2-point margin1900: missed Ohio’s winner1900: missed the nation1904: Alton B. Parker (D), 19.8-point margin1904: missed Ohio’s winner1904: missed the nation1908: William Jennings Bryan (D), 34.3-point margin1908: missed Ohio’s winner1908: missed the nation1912: Woodrow Wilson (D), 39.9-point margin1912: matched Ohio’s winner1912: matched the nation1916: Woodrow Wilson (D), 28.5-point margin1916: matched Ohio’s winner1916: matched the nation1920: Warren G. Harding (R), 12.7-point margin1920: matched Ohio’s winner1920: matched the nation1924: John W. Davis (D), 8.8-point margin1924: missed Ohio’s winner1924: missed the nation1928: Al Smith (D), 9.1-point margin1928: missed Ohio’s winner1928: missed the nation1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), 43.2-point margin1932: matched Ohio’s winner1932: matched the nation1936: Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), 27.4-point margin1936: matched Ohio’s winner1936: matched the nation1940: Wendell Willkie (R), 21.4-point margin1940: missed Ohio’s winner1940: missed the nation1944: Thomas E. Dewey (R), 26.1-point margin1944: matched Ohio’s winner1944: missed the nation1948: Harry S. Truman (D), 5.9-point margin1948: matched Ohio’s winner1948: matched the nation1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), 31.4-point margin1952: matched Ohio’s winner1952: matched the nation1956: Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), 37.8-point margin1956: matched Ohio’s winner1956: matched the nation1960: Richard Nixon (R), 0.0-point margin1960: matched Ohio’s winner1960: missed the nation1964: Lyndon B. Johnson (D), 39.5-point margin1964: matched Ohio’s winner1964: matched the nation1968: Hubert Humphrey (D), 3.4-point margin1968: missed Ohio’s winner1968: missed the nation1972: Richard Nixon (R), 18.7-point margin1972: matched Ohio’s winner1972: matched the nation1976: Gerald Ford (R), 6.4-point margin1976: missed Ohio’s winner1976: missed the nation1980: Ronald Reagan (R), 20.6-point margin1980: matched Ohio’s winner1980: matched the nation1984: Ronald Reagan (R), 44.1-point margin1984: matched Ohio’s winner1984: matched the nation1988: George H.W. Bush (R), 38.0-point margin1988: matched Ohio’s winner1988: matched the nation1992: George H.W. Bush (R), 20.3-point margin1992: missed Ohio’s winner1992: missed the nation1996: Robert Dole (R), 14.3-point margin1996: missed Ohio’s winner1996: missed the nation2000: George W. Bush (R), 39.8-point margin2000: matched Ohio’s winner2000: matched the nation2004: George W. Bush (R), 50.4-point margin2004: matched Ohio’s winner2004: matched the nation2008: John McCain (R), 43.5-point margin2008: missed Ohio’s winner2008: missed the nation2012: Mitt Romney (R), 54.5-point margin2012: missed Ohio’s winner2012: missed the nation2016: Donald Trump (R), 65.0-point margin2016: matched Ohio’s winner2016: matched the nation2020: Donald J Trump (R), 64.9-point margin2020: matched Ohio’s winner2020: missed the nation2024: Donald J Trump (R), 66.7-point margin2024: matched Ohio’s winner2024: matched the nation1852187218921912193219521972199220122024
Presidential election results by margin, MercerMercer'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 PierceD24.6 pointsmatchedmatched
1856James BuchananD27.9 pointsmissedmatched
1860Stephen A. DouglasD31.6 pointsmissedmissed
1864George B. McClellanD39.6 pointsmissedmissed
1868Horatio SeymourD46.1 pointsmissedmissed
1872Horace GreeleyLR33.9 pointsmissedmissed
1876Samuel J. TildenD43.1 pointsmissedmissed
1880Winfield Scott HancockD39.0 pointsmissedmissed
1884Grover ClevelandD45.6 pointsmissedmatched
1888Grover ClevelandD37.6 pointsmissedmissed
1892Grover ClevelandD36.6 pointsmissedmatched
1896William Jennings BryanD41.0 pointsmissedmissed
1900William Jennings BryanD37.2 pointsmissedmissed
1904Alton B. ParkerD19.8 pointsmissedmissed
1908William Jennings BryanD34.3 pointsmissedmissed
1912Woodrow WilsonD39.9 pointsmatchedmatched
1916Woodrow WilsonD28.5 pointsmatchedmatched
1920Warren G. HardingR12.7 pointsmatchedmatched
1924John W. DavisD8.8 pointsmissedmissed
1928Al SmithD9.1 pointsmissedmissed
1932Franklin D. RooseveltD43.2 pointsmatchedmatched
1936Franklin D. RooseveltD27.4 pointsmatchedmatched
1940Wendell WillkieR21.4 pointsmissedmissed
1944Thomas E. DeweyR26.1 pointsmatchedmissed
1948Harry S. TrumanD5.9 pointsmatchedmatched
1952Dwight D. EisenhowerR31.4 pointsmatchedmatched
1956Dwight D. EisenhowerR37.8 pointsmatchedmatched
1960Richard NixonR0.0 pointsmatchedmissed
1964Lyndon B. JohnsonD39.5 pointsmatchedmatched
1968Hubert HumphreyD3.4 pointsmissedmissed
1972Richard NixonR18.7 pointsmatchedmatched
1976Gerald FordR6.4 pointsmissedmissed
1980Ronald ReaganR20.6 pointsmatchedmatched
1984Ronald ReaganR44.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1988George H.W. BushR38.0 pointsmatchedmatched
1992George H.W. BushR20.3 pointsmissedmissed
1996Robert DoleR14.3 pointsmissedmissed
2000George W. BushR39.8 pointsmatchedmatched
2004George W. BushR50.4 pointsmatchedmatched
2008John McCainR43.5 pointsmissedmissed
2012Mitt RomneyR54.5 pointsmissedmissed
2016Donald TrumpR65.0 pointsmatchedmatched
2020Donald J TrumpR64.9 pointsmatchedmissed
2024Donald J TrumpR66.7 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 TrumpRepublican82.98%Kamala D Harris 66.7R+66.7R+11.2 3YesYes
2020 Donald J TrumpRepublican81.87%Joseph R Biden Jr. 64.9R+64.9R+8.0 3YesNo
2016 Donald TrumpRepublican80.58%Hillary Clinton 65.0R+65.0R+8.1 1YesYes
2012 Mitt RomneyRepublican76.46%Barack Obama 54.5R+54.5D+3.0 1NoNo
2008 John McCainRepublican70.99%Barack Obama 43.5R+43.5D+4.6 1NoNo
2004 George W. BushRepublican74.92%John Kerry 50.4R+50.4R+2.1 3YesYes
2000 George W. BushRepublican68.25%Al Gore 39.8R+39.8R+3.5 6YesYes
1996 Robert DoleRepublican50.03%Bill Clinton 14.3R+14.3D+6.4 15NoNo
1992 George H.W. BushRepublican46.82%H. Ross Perot 20.3R+20.5D+1.8 12NoNo
1988 George H.W. BushRepublican68.54%Michael Dukakis 38.0R+38.0R+10.8 20YesYes
1984 Ronald ReaganRepublican71.49%Walter F. Mondale 44.1R+44.1R+18.8 31YesYes
1980 Ronald ReaganRepublican56.54%Jimmy Carter 20.6R+20.6R+10.6 45YesYes
1976 Gerald FordRepublican51.71%Jimmy Carter 6.4R+6.4D+0.2 45NoNo
1972 Richard NixonRepublican57.6%George McGovern 18.7R+18.7R+21.6 76YesYes
1968 Hubert HumphreyDemocratic47.86%Richard Nixon 3.4D+3.4R+2.3 76NoNo
1964 Lyndon B. JohnsonDemocratic69.75%Barry Goldwater 39.5D+39.5D+25.9 82YesYes
1960 Richard NixonRepublican50.02%John F. Kennedy 0.0evenR+6.6 78YesNo
1956 Dwight D. EisenhowerRepublican68.88%Adlai E. Stevenson 37.8R+37.8R+22.2 35YesYes
1952 Dwight D. EisenhowerRepublican65.72%Adlai Stevenson 31.4R+31.4R+13.5 30YesYes
1948 Harry S. TrumanDemocratic52.92%Thomas E. Dewey 5.9D+5.9D+0.2 73YesYes
1944 Thomas E. DeweyRepublican63.04%Franklin D. Roosevelt 26.1R+26.1R+0.4 25YesNo
1940 Wendell WillkieRepublican60.72%Franklin D. Roosevelt 21.4R+21.4D+4.4 22NoNo
1936 Franklin D. RooseveltDemocratic54.66%Alf Landon 27.4D+27.4D+20.6 79YesYes
1932 Franklin D. RooseveltDemocratic70.94%Herbert Hoover 43.2D+43.2D+2.9 88YesYes
1928 Al SmithDemocratic54.34%Herbert Hoover 9.1D+9.1R+30.4 88NoNo
1924 John W. DavisDemocratic49.21%Calvin Coolidge 8.8D+8.8R+34.6 85NoNo
1920 Warren G. HardingRepublican56.13%James M. Cox 12.7R+12.7R+19.9 56YesYes
1916 Woodrow WilsonDemocratic62.27%Charles Evans Hughes 28.5D+28.5D+7.7 82YesYes
1912 Woodrow WilsonDemocratic63.19%William Howard Taft 39.9D+39.9D+14.1 82YesYes
1908 William Jennings BryanDemocratic66.22%William Howard Taft 34.3D+34.3R+6.2 87NoNo
1904 Alton B. ParkerDemocratic58.52%Theodore Roosevelt 19.8D+19.8R+25.4 87NoNo
1900 William Jennings BryanDemocratic67.93%William McKinley 37.2D+37.2R+6.6 87NoNo
1896 William Jennings BryanDemocratic70.16%William McKinley 41.0D+41.0R+4.8 87NoNo
1892 Grover ClevelandDemocratic62.51%Benjamin Harrison 36.6D+36.6R+0.1 86NoYes
1888 Grover ClevelandDemocratic67.58%Benjamin Harrison 37.6D+37.6R+2.3 86NoNo
1884 Grover ClevelandDemocratic72.59%James G. Blaine 45.6D+45.6R+4.0 88NoYes
1880 Winfield Scott HancockDemocratic69.34%James A. Garfield 39.0D+39.0R+4.7 86NoNo
1876 Samuel J. TildenDemocratic71.48%Rutherford B. Hayes 43.1D+43.1R+1.1 86NoNo
1872 Horace GreeleyLiberal Republican66.52%Ulysses S. Grant 33.9D+33.9R+7.1 85NoNo
1868 Horatio SeymourDemocratic73.03%Ulysses S. Grant 46.1D+46.1R+8.0 88NoNo
1864 George B. McClellanDemocratic69.79%Abraham Lincoln 39.6D+39.6R+12.7 87NoNo
1860 Stephen A. DouglasDemocratic65.66%Abraham Lincoln 31.6D+31.6R+10.0 87NoNo
1856 James BuchananDemocratic60.94%John C. Frémont 27.9D+27.9R+4.3 85NoYes
1852 Franklin PierceDemocratic61.87%Winfield Scott 24.6—— —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
202429,69223,97880.76%
202029,39823,90781.32%
201628,73122,05376.76%
201229,50721,81873.94%
200827,58921,74978.83%
200431,30621,33368.14%
200025,07918,84875.15%
199625,07318,26472.84%

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

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