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Putnam County · Presidential elections

Putnam County in presidential elections, 1852-2024

Putnam County has voted in 44 presidential elections in this record, from 1852 to 2024. It went Democratic 23 times and Republican 21 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 14.7 points. In 2024 Donald J Trump won it with 83.9% of the vote, a 68.7-point margin over Kamala D Harris. Measured as the Republican share minus the Democratic share, the county was 57.5 points more Republican than Ohio, and it ranked 2nd of 88 counties from most Republican to most Democratic.

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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
Putnam County voted for the candidate who won the presidency in 22 of 44 elections, 82nd among Ohio's 88 counties by that count (tied with 4 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 22 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 1968.
Closest result
1948: Harry S. Truman (Democratic) over Thomas E. Dewey by 1.06 points, 108 votes.
Widest result
2024: Donald J Trump (Republican) with 83.9%, 68.7 points ahead of Kamala D Harris.
Biggest move toward the Republicans
From 1936 to 1940 the margin moved 55.0 points toward the Republicans, from D+13.1 to R+42.0. Lean counts only the two major parties; William Lemke (Union) took 20.5% in 1936.
Biggest move toward the Democrats
From 1944 to 1948 the margin moved 44.6 points toward the Democrats, from R+43.6 to D+1.1.
Outside the two parties
H. Ross Perot (Independent) took 21.45% in 1992, 3,648 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 2004 (1st of 88, R+52.9) and lowest in 1928 (87th of 88, D+3.0). It stood 2nd in 2000 and again in 2024.
Votes and turnout
1,412 votes were counted for president in 1852 and 19,758 in 2024. Turnout in 2024 was 83.16% of registered voters, 1st 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, PutnamPutnam's presidential margin has run from 1852 to 2024; bar height is the winning margin, color the winning party.1852: Franklin Pierce (D), 30.4-point margin1852: matched Ohio’s winner1852: matched the nation1856: James Buchanan (D), 17.1-point margin1856: missed Ohio’s winner1856: matched the nation1860: Stephen A. Douglas (D), 18.8-point margin1860: missed Ohio’s winner1860: missed the nation1864: George B. McClellan (D), 20.9-point margin1864: missed Ohio’s winner1864: missed the nation1868: Horatio Seymour (D), 25.7-point margin1868: missed Ohio’s winner1868: missed the nation1872: Horace Greeley (LR), 25.0-point margin1872: missed Ohio’s winner1872: missed the nation1876: Samuel J. Tilden (D), 32.8-point margin1876: missed Ohio’s winner1876: missed the nation1880: Winfield Scott Hancock (D), 29.6-point margin1880: missed Ohio’s winner1880: missed the nation1884: Grover Cleveland (D), 29.0-point margin1884: missed Ohio’s winner1884: matched the nation1888: Grover Cleveland (D), 28.0-point margin1888: missed Ohio’s winner1888: missed the nation1892: Grover Cleveland (D), 27.2-point margin1892: missed Ohio’s winner1892: matched the nation1896: William Jennings Bryan (D), 31.8-point margin1896: missed Ohio’s winner1896: missed the nation1900: William Jennings Bryan (D), 27.1-point margin1900: missed Ohio’s winner1900: missed the nation1904: Alton B. Parker (D), 17.9-point margin1904: missed Ohio’s winner1904: missed the nation1908: William Jennings Bryan (D), 31.4-point margin1908: missed Ohio’s winner1908: missed the nation1912: Woodrow Wilson (D), 44.0-point margin1912: matched Ohio’s winner1912: matched the nation1916: Woodrow Wilson (D), 31.0-point margin1916: matched Ohio’s winner1916: matched the nation1920: Warren G. Harding (R), 4.9-point margin1920: matched Ohio’s winner1920: matched the nation1924: John W. Davis (D), 4.0-point margin1924: missed Ohio’s winner1924: missed the nation1928: Al Smith (D), 3.0-point margin1928: missed Ohio’s winner1928: missed the nation1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), 37.3-point margin1932: matched Ohio’s winner1932: matched the nation1936: Franklin D. Roosevelt (D), 13.1-point margin1936: matched Ohio’s winner1936: matched the nation1940: Wendell Willkie (R), 42.0-point margin1940: missed Ohio’s winner1940: missed the nation1944: Thomas E. Dewey (R), 43.6-point margin1944: matched Ohio’s winner1944: missed the nation1948: Harry S. Truman (D), 1.1-point margin1948: matched Ohio’s winner1948: matched the nation1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), 37.7-point margin1952: matched Ohio’s winner1952: matched the nation1956: Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), 40.8-point margin1956: matched Ohio’s winner1956: matched the nation1960: Richard Nixon (R), 6.2-point margin1960: matched Ohio’s winner1960: missed the nation1964: Lyndon B. Johnson (D), 14.7-point margin1964: matched Ohio’s winner1964: matched the nation1968: Richard Nixon (R), 30.2-point margin1968: matched Ohio’s winner1968: matched the nation1972: Richard Nixon (R), 36.1-point margin1972: matched Ohio’s winner1972: matched the nation1976: Gerald Ford (R), 18.1-point margin1976: missed Ohio’s winner1976: missed the nation1980: Ronald Reagan (R), 42.3-point margin1980: matched Ohio’s winner1980: matched the nation1984: Ronald Reagan (R), 57.3-point margin1984: matched Ohio’s winner1984: matched the nation1988: George H.W. Bush (R), 46.9-point margin1988: matched Ohio’s winner1988: matched the nation1992: George H.W. Bush (R), 31.6-point margin1992: missed Ohio’s winner1992: missed the nation1996: Robert Dole (R), 26.8-point margin1996: missed Ohio’s winner1996: missed the nation2000: George W. Bush (R), 50.6-point margin2000: matched Ohio’s winner2000: matched the nation2004: George W. Bush (R), 52.9-point margin2004: matched Ohio’s winner2004: matched the nation2008: John McCain (R), 41.7-point margin2008: missed Ohio’s winner2008: missed the nation2012: Mitt Romney (R), 51.2-point margin2012: missed Ohio’s winner2012: missed the nation2016: Donald Trump (R), 64.2-point margin2016: matched Ohio’s winner2016: matched the nation2020: Donald J Trump (R), 66.3-point margin2020: matched Ohio’s winner2020: missed the nation2024: Donald J Trump (R), 68.7-point margin2024: matched Ohio’s winner2024: matched the nation1852187218921912193219521972199220122024
Presidential election results by margin, PutnamPutnam'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 PierceD30.4 pointsmatchedmatched
1856James BuchananD17.1 pointsmissedmatched
1860Stephen A. DouglasD18.8 pointsmissedmissed
1864George B. McClellanD20.9 pointsmissedmissed
1868Horatio SeymourD25.7 pointsmissedmissed
1872Horace GreeleyLR25.0 pointsmissedmissed
1876Samuel J. TildenD32.8 pointsmissedmissed
1880Winfield Scott HancockD29.6 pointsmissedmissed
1884Grover ClevelandD29.0 pointsmissedmatched
1888Grover ClevelandD28.0 pointsmissedmissed
1892Grover ClevelandD27.2 pointsmissedmatched
1896William Jennings BryanD31.8 pointsmissedmissed
1900William Jennings BryanD27.1 pointsmissedmissed
1904Alton B. ParkerD17.9 pointsmissedmissed
1908William Jennings BryanD31.4 pointsmissedmissed
1912Woodrow WilsonD44.0 pointsmatchedmatched
1916Woodrow WilsonD31.0 pointsmatchedmatched
1920Warren G. HardingR4.9 pointsmatchedmatched
1924John W. DavisD4.0 pointsmissedmissed
1928Al SmithD3.0 pointsmissedmissed
1932Franklin D. RooseveltD37.3 pointsmatchedmatched
1936Franklin D. RooseveltD13.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1940Wendell WillkieR42.0 pointsmissedmissed
1944Thomas E. DeweyR43.6 pointsmatchedmissed
1948Harry S. TrumanD1.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1952Dwight D. EisenhowerR37.7 pointsmatchedmatched
1956Dwight D. EisenhowerR40.8 pointsmatchedmatched
1960Richard NixonR6.2 pointsmatchedmissed
1964Lyndon B. JohnsonD14.7 pointsmatchedmatched
1968Richard NixonR30.2 pointsmatchedmatched
1972Richard NixonR36.1 pointsmatchedmatched
1976Gerald FordR18.1 pointsmissedmissed
1980Ronald ReaganR42.3 pointsmatchedmatched
1984Ronald ReaganR57.3 pointsmatchedmatched
1988George H.W. BushR46.9 pointsmatchedmatched
1992George H.W. BushR31.6 pointsmissedmissed
1996Robert DoleR26.8 pointsmissedmissed
2000George W. BushR50.6 pointsmatchedmatched
2004George W. BushR52.9 pointsmatchedmatched
2008John McCainR41.7 pointsmissedmissed
2012Mitt RomneyR51.2 pointsmissedmissed
2016Donald TrumpR64.2 pointsmatchedmatched
2020Donald J TrumpR66.3 pointsmatchedmissed
2024Donald J TrumpR68.7 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 TrumpRepublican83.9%Kamala D Harris 68.7R+68.7R+11.2 2YesYes
2020 Donald J TrumpRepublican82.39%Joseph R Biden Jr. 66.3R+66.3R+8.0 2YesNo
2016 Donald TrumpRepublican79.72%Hillary Clinton 64.2R+64.2R+8.1 2YesYes
2012 Mitt RomneyRepublican74.68%Barack Obama 51.2R+51.2D+3.0 3NoNo
2008 John McCainRepublican69.98%Barack Obama 41.7R+41.7D+4.6 2NoNo
2004 George W. BushRepublican76.24%John Kerry 52.9R+52.9R+2.1 1YesYes
2000 George W. BushRepublican74.01%Al Gore 50.6R+50.6R+3.5 2YesYes
1996 Robert DoleRepublican57.52%Bill Clinton 26.8R+26.8D+6.4 3NoNo
1992 George H.W. BushRepublican54.92%Bill Clinton 31.6R+31.6D+1.8 2NoNo
1988 George H.W. BushRepublican73.09%Michael Dukakis 46.9R+46.9R+10.8 4YesYes
1984 Ronald ReaganRepublican78.26%Walter F. Mondale 57.3R+57.3R+18.8 2YesYes
1980 Ronald ReaganRepublican68.71%Jimmy Carter 42.3R+42.3R+10.6 1YesYes
1976 Gerald FordRepublican57.69%Jimmy Carter 18.1R+18.1D+0.2 12NoNo
1972 Richard NixonRepublican66.32%George McGovern 36.1R+36.1R+21.6 37YesYes
1968 Richard NixonRepublican59.38%Hubert Humphrey 30.2R+30.2R+2.3 8YesYes
1964 Lyndon B. JohnsonDemocratic57.33%Barry Goldwater 14.7D+14.7D+25.9 35YesYes
1960 Richard NixonRepublican53.09%John F. Kennedy 6.2R+6.2R+6.6 75YesNo
1956 Dwight D. EisenhowerRepublican70.38%Adlai E. Stevenson 40.8R+40.8R+22.2 21YesYes
1952 Dwight D. EisenhowerRepublican68.85%Adlai Stevenson 37.7R+37.7R+13.5 17YesYes
1948 Harry S. TrumanDemocratic50.39%Thomas E. Dewey 1.1D+1.1D+0.2 67YesYes
1944 Thomas E. DeweyRepublican71.79%Franklin D. Roosevelt 43.6R+43.6R+0.4 5YesNo
1940 Wendell WillkieRepublican70.99%Franklin D. Roosevelt 42.0R+42.0D+4.4 2NoNo
1936 Franklin D. RooseveltDemocratic46.23%Alf Landon 13.1D+13.1D+20.6 49YesYes
1932 Franklin D. RooseveltDemocratic68%Herbert Hoover 37.3D+37.3D+2.9 86YesYes
1928 Al SmithDemocratic51.27%Herbert Hoover 3.0D+3.0R+30.4 87NoNo
1924 John W. DavisDemocratic45.82%Calvin Coolidge 4.0D+4.0R+34.6 81NoNo
1920 Warren G. HardingRepublican52.1%James M. Cox 4.9R+4.9R+19.9 73YesYes
1916 Woodrow WilsonDemocratic64.79%Charles Evans Hughes 30.9D+30.9D+7.7 85YesYes
1912 Woodrow WilsonDemocratic62.4%Theodore Roosevelt 44.0D+46.8D+14.1 87YesYes
1908 William Jennings BryanDemocratic64.61%William Howard Taft 31.4D+31.4R+6.2 84NoNo
1904 Alton B. ParkerDemocratic57.36%Theodore Roosevelt 17.9D+17.9R+25.4 86NoNo
1900 William Jennings BryanDemocratic62.98%William McKinley 27.1D+27.1R+6.6 84NoNo
1896 William Jennings BryanDemocratic65.48%William McKinley 31.8D+31.8R+4.8 85NoNo
1892 Grover ClevelandDemocratic60.89%Benjamin Harrison 27.2D+27.2R+0.1 83NoYes
1888 Grover ClevelandDemocratic62.62%Benjamin Harrison 28.0D+28.0R+2.3 84NoNo
1884 Grover ClevelandDemocratic64.15%James G. Blaine 29.0D+29.0R+4.0 84NoYes
1880 Winfield Scott HancockDemocratic64.5%James A. Garfield 29.6D+29.6R+4.7 84NoNo
1876 Samuel J. TildenDemocratic66.33%Rutherford B. Hayes 32.8D+32.8R+1.1 84NoNo
1872 Horace GreeleyLiberal Republican62.2%Ulysses S. Grant 25.0D+25.0R+7.1 83NoNo
1868 Horatio SeymourDemocratic62.85%Ulysses S. Grant 25.7D+25.7R+8.0 82NoNo
1864 George B. McClellanDemocratic60.47%Abraham Lincoln 20.9D+20.9R+12.7 83NoNo
1860 Stephen A. DouglasDemocratic59.24%Abraham Lincoln 18.8D+18.8R+10.0 84NoNo
1856 James BuchananDemocratic58.43%John C. Frémont 17.1D+17.1R+4.3 78NoYes
1852 Franklin PierceDemocratic63.03%Winfield Scott 30.4—— —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
202424,01619,97283.16%
202023,85920,07284.13%
201623,50719,16181.51%
201223,79618,61278.21%
200824,32018,95977.96%
200424,57919,16977.99%
200024,10517,74373.61%
199621,97616,59375.51%

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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