Rural Changes: The Yonder Counties That Flipped Their Vote in 2008

This chart lists the 213 counties where a majority of voters supported one party in the 2004 presidential election and a
different party in 2008. There were 179 counties that flipped from Republican in 2004 to Democratic in 2008. There were
34 counties that switched from Democratic to Republican in ’04. And two counties — Iowa County in Iowa and Jerauld
County in South Dakota — had a tie vote at the time this analysis was done.

The chart shows the total votes for Obama and McCain and the percentage of the vote taken by President-elect Obama.

The chart also lists when the county last switched its political allegiance in a presidential race. For example, the first county
on the list, Jefferson in Alabama, had voted for the Republican nominee in every election since 1972, until switching its
support to the Democrat this year.

*STATE*	COUNTY	COUNTY SEAT	VOTED IN ’08	HAD BEEN UNCHANGED SINCE	OBAMA VOTE	MCCAIN VOTE	% VOTE FOR OBAMA
AL	Marengo	Linden	Democratic	2004	5,925	5,511	51.6%
AR	Bradley	Warren	Republican	1988	1,673	2,260	36.2%
AR	Clark	Arkadelphia	Republican	1976	4,265	4,608	20.0%
AR	Clay	Piggott	Republican	1988	2,245	3,032	42.1%
AR	Hempstead	Hope	Republican	1992	2,861	4,252	39.0%
AR	Jackson	Newport	Republican	1976	2,220	3,146	40.9%
AR	Lawrence	Walnut Ridge	Republican	1992	2,136	3,357	32.6%
AR	Little River	Ashdown	Republican	1988	1,752	3,247	14.2%
AR	Mississippi	Osceola & Blytheville	Republican	1992	6,638	6,967	35.6%
AR	Monroe	Clarendon	Republican	1988	1,615	1,754	13.6%
AR	Randolph	Pocahontas	Republican	1988	2,460	3,601	33.2%
CA	Nevada	Nevada City	Democratic	1968	27,455	24,670	51.9%
CA	Trinity	Weaverville	Democratic	1996	3,233	2,940	51.4%
CO	Alamosa	Alamosa	Democratic	2000	3,521	2,635	31.9%
CO	Huerfano	Walsenburg	Democratic	2004	1,989	1,582	49.8%
CO	Ouray	Ouray	Democratic	1968	1,629	1,360	53.3%
CT	Litchfield	Litchfield & Winsted	Democratic	2004	51,037	46,176	51.9%
FL	Flagler	Bunnell	Democratic	2004	24,725	23,949	50.6%
GA	Webster	Preston	Republican	1976	515	588	46.4%
GA	Baldwin	Milledgeville	Democratic	2000	8,587	7,823	51.9%
GA	Peach	Fort Valley	Democratic	2004	5,927	5,173	51.9%
GA	Sumter	Americus	Democratic	2000	6,454	5,717	52.4%
GA	Washington	Sandersville	Democratic	2004	4,607	4,216	52.0%
IA	Adams	Corning	Democratic	2000	1,113	1,039	50.5%
IA	Allamakee	Waukon	Democratic	2000	3,962	2,961	56.3%
IA	Audubon	Audubon	Democratic	2000	1,731	1,631	50.4%
IA	Carroll	Carroll	Democratic	2000	5,284	4,905	51.2%
IA	Cedar	Tipton	Democratic	2004	5,201	4,278	52.4%
IA	Crawford	Denison	Democratic	2000	3,700	3,338	51.0%
IA	Delaware	Manchester	Democratic	2000	4,630	4,108	51.8%
IA	Emmet	Estherville	Democratic	2000	2,565	2,366	51.2%
IA	Franklin	Hampton	Democratic	2000	2,566	2,495	50.2%
IA	Greene	Jefferson	Democratic	2004	2,359	2,340	49.1%
IA	Hamilton	Webster City	Democratic	2000	3,999	3,909	49.1%
IA	Hardin	Eldora	Democratic	2000	4,368	4,301	49.6%
IA	Kossuth	Algona	Democratic	2000	4,609	4,310	51.1%
IA	Louisa	Wapello	Democratic	2004	2,452	2,251	45.9%
IA	Marshall	Marshalltown	Democratic	2000	9,918	8,229	53.8%
IA	Palo Alto	Emmetsburg	Democratic	2000	2,420	2,290	50.5%
IA	Union	Creston	Democratic	2000	2,990	2,774	51.0%
IA	Winnebago	Forest City	Democratic	2004	3,236	2,726	53.5%
ID	Latah	Moscow	Democratic	2000	9,191	7,984	52.5%
ID	Teton	Driggs	Democratic	1952	2,302	2,263	50.1%
IL	Bureau	Princeton	Democratic	2000	8,872	7,902	52.5%
IL	Carroll	Mount Carroll	Democratic	1948	3,956	3,589	52.1%
IL	Cass	Virginia	Democratic	2000	2,690	2,617	50.2%
IL	Coles	Charleston	Democratic	2000	11,704	10,962	51.3%
IL	Gallatin	Shawneetown	Democratic	2004	1,587	1,211	56.3%
IL	Jo Daviess	Galena	Democratic	2000	6,392	5,163	55.0%
STATE	COUNTY	COUNTY SEAT	VOTED IN ’08	HAD BEEN UNCHANGED SINCE	OBAMA VOTE	MCCAIN VOTE	% VOTE FOR OBAMA
IL	La Salle	Ottawa	Democratic	2004	27,415	21,855	55.2%
IL	McDonough	Macomb	Democratic	2000	6,780	6,047	52.5%
IL	Mason	Havana	Democratic	2000	3,540	3,139	52.7%
IL	Montgomery	Hillsboro	Democratic	2004	6,486	6,141	51.0%
IL	Pulaski	Mound City	Democratic	2004	1,636	1,592	50.5%
IL	Schuyler	Rushville	Democratic	2000	1,896	1,830	50.5%
IL	Stephenson	Freeport	Democratic	1968	11,010	9,686	52.9%
IL	Warren	Monmouth	Democratic	2000	4,286	3,637	53.9%
IN	Perry	Cannelton	Democratic	2004	5,140	3,201	59.8%
IN	Spencer	Rockport	Democratic	2000	5,037	4,998	49.4%
IN	Starke	Knox	Democratic	2000	4,778	4,473	50.5%
KS	Crawford	Girard	Democratic	2000	7,646	7,453	49.6%
KY	Bath	Owingsville	Republican	2004	2,210	2,234	48.9%
KY	Breathitt	Jackson	Republican	1948	2,205	2,671	43.0%
KY	Carter	Grayson	Republican	2004	4,314	5,252	44.0%
KY	Floyd	Prestonsburg	Republican	1948	7,530	7,741	48.7%
KY	Knott	Hindman	Republican	1948	2,612	3,070	45.1%
KY	Magoffin	Salyersville	Republican	2004	2,105	2,434	45.6%
KY	Pike	Pikeville	Republican	1976	9,525	12,665	42.0%
LA	Assumption	Napoleonville	Republican	1988	4,756	5,981	42.3%
MD	Kent	Chestertown	Democratic	2000	4,953	4,905	45.9%
ME	Washington	Machias	Democratic	2000	8,268	8,096	49.9%
MI	Alpena	Alpena	Democratic	2004	7,705	7,125	49.4%
MI	Benzie	Beulah	Democratic	2000	5,461	4,687	53.3%
MI	Clare	Harrison	Democratic	2004	7,496	6,793	15.8%
MI	Delta	Escanaba	Democratic	2000	9,976	8,763	47.9%
MI	Gladwin	Gladwin	Democratic	2000	6,590	6,391	48.5%
MI	Gratiot	Ithaca	Democratic	2000	9,102	8,324	50.5%
MI	Iosco	Tawas City	Democratic	2004	7,307	6,583	51.9%
MI	Iron	Crystal Falls	Democratic	2004	3,080	2,947	50.0%
MI	Leelanau	Leland	Democratic	1968	7,354	6,937	50.8%
MI	Lenawee	Adrian	Democratic	2000	24,638	22,223	47.0%
MI	Manistee	Manistee	Democratic	2004	7,234	5,506	55.9%
MI	Mason	Ludington	Democratic	2000	7,816	7,416	50.1%
MI	Menominee	Menominee	Democratic	2000	5,980	4,855	54.2%
MI	Oceana	Hart	Democratic	2000	6,405	5,860	51.3%
MI	Ogemaw	West Branch	Democratic	2004	5,391	5,133	49.7%
MI	Ontonagon	Ontonagon	Democratic	2000	1,966	1,823	48.2%
MI	Presque Isle	Rogers City	Democratic	2000	3,719	3,605	48.8%
MI	Roscommon	Roscommon	Democratic	2004	7,082	6,727	50.5%
MI	Schoolcraft	Manistique	Democratic	2000	2,184	2,058	48.3%
MI	Shiawassee	Corunna	Democratic	2000	18,015	15,054	53.8%
MN	Aitkin	Aitkin	Democratic	2004	4,601	4,591	49.8%
MN	Grant	Elbow Lake	Democratic	2000	1,850	1,646	52.2%
MN	Lincoln	Ivanhoe	Democratic	2004	1,517	1,491	49.5%
MN	Marshall	Warren	Democratic	2000	2,311	2,285	49.6%
MN	Murray	Slayton	Democratic	2000	2,345	2,320	49.6%
MN	Pope	Glenwood	Democratic	2000	3,317	3,068	51.5%
MN	Red Lake	Red Lake Falls	Democratic	2000	1,119	983	52.2%
STATE	COUNTY	COUNTY SEAT	VOTED IN ’08	HAD BEEN UNCHANGED SINCE	OBAMA VOTE	MCCAIN VOTE	% VOTE FOR OBAMA
MN	Stevens	Morris	Democratic	2000	2,780	2,710	50.0%
MN	Traverse	Wheaton	Democratic	2000	1,041	933	52.2%
MN	Watonwan	St. James	Democratic	2000	2,562	2,526	49.7%
MN	Yellow Medicine	Granite Falls	Democratic	2000	2,816	2,579	51.4%
MO	Iron	Ironton	Democratic	2000	2,213	2,090	50.6%
MS	Benton	Ashland	Republican	1988	2,224	2,329	48.3%
MS	Chickasaw	Okolona & Houston	Democratic	2000	4,053	3,934	50.5%
MS	Oktibbeha	Starkville	Democratic	1972	9,326	9,320	49.8%
MS	Panola	Sardis & Batesville	Democratic	2004	8,370	7,515	52.5%
MS	Pike	Magnolia	Democratic	2000	7,958	7,441	51.5%
MS	Yazoo	Yazoo City	Democratic	2000	5,725	4,219	57.3%
MT	Blaine	Chinook	Democratic	2000	1,711	1,138	58.3%
MT	Gallatin	Bozeman	Democratic	1948	23,984	22,375	50.5%
MT	Hill	Havre	Democratic	2000	3,563	2,763	54.9%
MT	Lake	Polson	Democratic	1996	6,693	6,463	48.8%
MT	Lewis and Clark	Helena	Democratic	1996	16,939	14,794	52.4%
MT	Rosebud	Forsyth	Democratic	2000	1,898	1,739	50.9%
NC	Bladen	Elizabethtown	Democratic	2004	7,846	7,530	50.7%
NC	Caswell	Yanceyville	Democratic	2000	5,466	5,177	50.8%
NC	Granville	Oxford	Democratic	2004	13,011	11,375	53.1%
NC	Hyde	Swanquarter	Democratic	2000	1,225	1,203	50.1%
NC	Jackson	Sylva	Democratic	2000	8,671	7,793	51.9%
NC	Martin	Williamston	Democratic	2004	6,488	5,914	52.1%
NC	Watauga	Boone	Democratic	1996	14,513	13,303	51.3%
NC	Wilson	Wilson	Democratic	1980	19,754	18,338	51.6%
ND	Eddy	New Rockford	Democratic	2000	582	548	14.9%
ND	Mountrail	Stanley	Democratic	2000	1,476	1,403	47.3%
ND	Nelson	Lakota	Democratic	2000	904	797	33.3%
ND	Ransom	Lisbon	Democratic	2000	1,369	993	35.8%
ND	Sargent	Forman	Democratic	2000	1,112	774	44.3%
ND	Towner	Cando	Democratic	2000	620	536	46.4%
ND	Traill	Hillsboro	Democratic	2000	2,135	1,839	49.1%
NE	Saline	Wilber	Democratic	2000	2,597	2,373	43.5%
NH	Belknap	Laconia	Democratic	1968	16,796	16,402	50.2%
NH	Carroll	Ossipee	Democratic	1948	15,221	13,387	52.4%
NM	Colfax	Raton	Democratic	2004	3,490	2,805	55.2%
NM	Hidalgo	Lordsburg	Democratic	2000	993	936	51.1%
NM	Los Alamos	Los Alamos	Democratic	1968	5,824	5,064	53.0%
NM	Luna	Deming	Democratic	2000	4,311	3,870	52.1%
NY	Cayuga	Auburn	Democratic	2004	16,667	14,283	53.7%
NY	Chautauqua	Mayville	Democratic	2000	26,936	26,593	50.2%
NY	Cortland	Cortland	Democratic	2000	10,616	8,970	54.0%
NY	Essex	Elizabethtown	Democratic	2000	9,531	7,189	56.8%
NY	Otsego	Cooperstown	Democratic	2000	12,072	11,059	52.0%
NY	Seneca	Waterloo	Democratic	2004	6,903	6,556	51.1%
NY	Sullivan	Monticello	Democratic	2004	15,850	13,312	54.1%
OH	Sandusky	Fremont	Democratic	2000	15,101	13,935	51.5%
OH	Tuscarawas	New Philadelphia	Democratic	2000	20,957	19,940	50.9%
OR	Tillamook	Tillamook	Democratic	2000	7,072	5,757	54.3%
STATE	COUNTY	COUNTY SEAT	VOTED IN ’08	HAD BEEN UNCHANGED SINCE	OBAMA VOTE	MCCAIN VOTE	% VOTE FOR OBAMA
OR	Wasco	The Dalles	Democratic	2000	5,801	5,049	51.3%
PA	Elk	Ridgway	Democratic	2000	6,910	6,252	52.1%
PA	Monroe	Stroudsburg	Democratic	1968	36,655	25,892	58.4%
SC	Barnwell	Barnwell	Democratic	1984	4,931	4,769	50.4%
SC	Chester	Chester	Democratic	2004	7,478	6,318	53.6%
SC	Colleton	Walterboro	Democratic	2000	8,616	8,525	49.7%
SD	Brookings	Brookings	Democratic	1968	7,207	6,431	52.1%
SD	Brown	Aberdeen	Democratic	2000	9,041	8,067	52.3%
SD	Lake	Madison	Democratic	2000	3,033	2,993	48.8%
SD	Marshall	Britton	Democratic	2000	1,261	900	56.2%
SD	Miner	Howard	Democratic	2000	605	577	48.5%
SD	Moody	Flandreau	Democratic	2000	1,663	1,508	51.6%
TN	Benton	Camden	Republican	1976	2,645	3,696	41.1%
TN	Clay	Celina	Republican	1992	1,248	1,674	41.1%
TN	Grundy	Altamont	Republican	1976	1,969	2,561	42.9%
TN	Humphreys	Waverly	Republican	1976	3,600	3,818	47.9%
TN	Lake	Tiptonville	Republican	2004	1,024	1,175	46.1%
TN	Lauderdale	Ripley	Republican	1992	4,322	4,933	46.4%
TN	Overton	Livingston	Republican	1976	3,418	4,495	42.5%
TN	Perry	Linden	Republican	1948	1,329	1,596	44.5%
TN	Van Buren	Spencer	Republican	1976	849	1,293	39.0%
TX	Brewster	Alpine	Democratic	2000	1,819	1,781	49.8%
TX	Culberson	Van Horn	Democratic	2004	510	267	64.7%
TX	Frio	Pearsall	Democratic	2004	2,405	1,644	59.2%
TX	Kleberg	Kingsville	Democratic	2000	5,251	4,539	53.2%
TX	Reeves	Pecos	Democratic	2004	1,605	1,444	52.1%
TX	Val Verde	Del Rio	Democratic	2000	6,982	5,752	52.8%
UT	Grand	Moab	Democratic	1996	1,981	1,787	37.3%
VA	Buchanan	Grundy	Republican	1976	4,063	4,541	46.3%
VA	Dickenson	Clintwood	Republican	1976	3,278	3,324	48.7%
VA	Buckingham	Buckingham	Democratic	2000	3,493	3,427	50.2%
VA	Essex	Tappahannock	Democratic	2000	2,934	2,379	54.2%
VA	Westmoreland	Montross	Democratic	2000	4,577	3,719	54.3%
VA	Staunton city	Staunton	Democratic	1948	5,570	5,328	50.8%
VT	Essex	Guildhall	Democratic	2000	1,733	1,284	56.3%
WA	Clallam	Port Angeles	Democratic	2000	17,512	15,978	51.7%
WA	Island	Coupeville	Democratic	1996	21,787	19,171	52.6%
WA	Klickitat	Goldendale	Democratic	2000	4,930	4,913	49.1%
WA	Wahkiakum	Cathlamet	Democratic	2000	1,112	1,100	49.7%
WA	Whitman	Colfax	Democratic	2000	7,957	7,304	51.5%
WI	Barron	Barron	Democratic	2000	12,076	10,456	53.3%
WI	Burnett	Grantsburg	Democratic	2000	4,337	4,200	50.5%
WI	Clark	Neillsville	Democratic	2000	7,450	6,337	53.7%
WI	Door	Sturgeon Bay	Democratic	2000	10,142	7,112	58.6%
WI	Forest	Crandon	Democratic	2000	2,671	1,960	57.5%
WI	Jefferson	Jefferson	Democratic	2000	21,448	21,095	50.2%
WI	Juneau	Mauston	Democratic	2000	6,209	5,187	54.2%
WI	Langlade	Antigo	Democratic	2000	5,182	5,081	50.3%
WI	Lincoln	Merrill	Democratic	2000	8,419	6,510	56.0%
STATE	COUNTY	COUNTY SEAT	VOTED IN ’08	HAD BEEN UNCHANGED SINCE	OBAMA VOTE	MCCAIN VOTE	% VOTE FOR OBAMA
WI	Manitowoc	Manitowoc	Democratic	2000	22,421	19,231	53.6%
WI	Marinette	Marinette	Democratic	2000	11,124	9,705	53.1%
WI	Marquette	Montello	Democratic	2000	4,051	3,625	52.4%
WI	Monroe	Sparta	Democratic	2000	10,178	8,657	53.8%
WI	Oneida	Rhinelander	Democratic	2000	11,905	9,627	54.9%
WI	Richland	Richland Center	Democratic	2000	5,072	3,348	59.9%
WI	Rusk	Ladysmith	Democratic	2000	3,855	3,253	53.8%
WI	Sawyer	Hayward	Democratic	2000	4,763	4,199	52.9%
WI	Shawano	Shawano	Democratic	2000	10,192	9,381	51.8%
WI	Washburn	Shell Lake	Democratic	2000	4,716	4,259	52.3%
WI	Waupaca	Waupaca	Democratic	1948	12,952	12,131	51.4%
WI	Waushara	Wautoma	Democratic	2000	5,868	5,769	50.1%
WI	Wood	Wisconsin Rapids	Democratic	2000	21,705	16,576	56.4%
WV	Fayette	Fayetteville	Republican	1976	7,134	7,578	48.2%
WV	Logan	Logan	Republican	1948	4,862	6,297	43.3%
WV	Mingo	Williamson	Republican	1976	3,567	4,565	43.5%
WY	Albany	Laramie	Democratic	2000	8,618	7,981	50.7%

Sign up for our newsletter

Related