HarrisDemocratic39.4%8,278TrumpRepublican58.8%12,347KennedyIndependent1.6%340
R+19.4- Lead
- 4,069
- Total
- 20,995
- vs nation
- R+17.9
- Turnout
- 62.5%
Akashiccounty
Stephenson County, IL
Contests in this Place (89 available)
President34 · 1892–2024 · 3 mapped
▦ precinct · ▥ counties · ▢ no spatial detail
President margin by year
Place winner margin
Boundary by 2024 margin · Precinct returns · VEST · MIT Election Lab
The precinct map shows the 2024 presidential vote; the timeline scrubs the county’s overall result across 1892–2024.
President results by year
2024 turnout 62.5% of 33,950 citizens 18+
BidenDemocratic41.0%9,055TrumpRepublican56.6%12,521JorgensenLibertarian1.5%328
R+15.7- Lead
- 3,466
- Total
- 22,111
- vs nation
- R+20.1
- Turnout
- 63.6%
ClintonDemocratic38.2%7,768TrumpRepublican54.5%11,083JohnsonLibertarian4.6%936
R+16.3- Lead
- 3,315
- Total
- 20,343
- vs nation
- R+18.4
- Turnout
- 56.8%
ObamaDemocratic48.1%10,165RomneyRepublican49.8%10,512JOHNSONLibertarian1.3%283
R+1.6- Lead
- 347
- Total
- 21,128
- vs nation
- R+5.5
- Turnout
- —
ObamaDemocratic52.5%11,349McCainRepublican45.9%9,909OtherAll other candidates1.6%347
D+6.7- Lead
- 1,440
- Total
- 21,605
- vs nation
- R+0.6
- Turnout
- —
KerryDemocratic41.8%8,913BushRepublican57.3%12,212OtherAll other candidates0.9%195
R+15.5- Lead
- 3,299
- Total
- 21,320
- vs nation
- R+13.0
- Turnout
- —
GoreDemocratic41.6%8,062BushRepublican55.3%10,715NaderGreen2.5%476
R+13.7- Lead
- 2,653
- Total
- 19,378
- vs nation
- R+14.2
- Turnout
- —
ClintonDemocratic39.4%7,145DoleRepublican48.9%8,871PerotReform10.7%1,940
R+9.5- Lead
- 1,726
- Total
- 18,125
- vs nation
- R+18.0
- Turnout
- —
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- R+19.4MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 43,7682024 5-year
- Population density
- 78 / sq mi2024 5-year · TIGER/Line
- Land area
- 564 sq miTIGER/Line
- Median household income
- $64,0432024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 78.9%2024 5-year
- Black
- 8.5%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 5.6%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+27.4 in 1912MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+53.0 in 1920MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Lee County, IL · twin score 79.7
Turnout and midterm durability
Participation measured against the same-year citizen voting-age population. Audited cycles count total general-election participants — ballots or participating voters, not presidential candidate votes. Cycles before 2016 predate that series and are derived from the certified presidential returns instead; they are marked everywhere they appear and are excluded from the figures below.
2004–20248 cycles · 5 audited
- 2024 turnout
- 62.5%21,227 participants ÷ 33,950 CVAP
- 2020→2022 drop-off
- +14.4 ptsVolatile
- Drop-off vs state
- -7.7 ptsPositive means a larger decline than the statewide pattern
- Mechanical 2026
- 48.1%–50.7%Recent-cycle and two-cycle persistence scenarios; not a forecast
Participation by cycle
Presidential Midterm Derived, pre-2016
Select a presidential cycle to show it on the map and results ledger above.
| Cycle | Participants | CVAP | Turnout | Series | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21,227 | 33,950 ± 255 | 62.5% | Audited | A/A | |
| 2022Mid | 17,013 | 34,545 ± 243 | 49.2% | Audited | C/A |
| 22,111 | 34,751 ± 234 | 63.6% | Audited | C/A | |
| 2018Mid | 16,734 | 35,158 ± 234 | 47.6% | Audited | A/A |
| 20,343 | 35,830 ± 202 | 56.8% | Audited | C/A | |
| 21,128 | 36,319 | 58.2% | Derived | — | |
| 21,605 | 35,408 | 61.0% | Derived | — | |
| 21,320 | 34,497 extrapolated | 61.8% | Derived | — |
Sources and methods
Audited cycles (2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024) count total general-election participants against the same-year CVAP special tabulation, each cell carrying its own numerator and denominator quality grade. Derived cycles (2004, 2008, 2012) come from the certified presidential returns on this page over the ACS 5-year CVAP series, so they measure presidential votes cast rather than ballots — a floor on participation. Where a derived cycle predates the ACS its denominator is extrapolated rather than read, and says so on its own line below. They are shown for the longer arc and are excluded from the drop-off, excess-drop-off, and 2026 scenario figures above.
- 2024: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 311/228.
- 2022: numerator source 159, denominator source 157; top ticket votes; canonical-complete-contest-floor-v1; allocation share 0.0%; series 154/183.
- 2020: numerator source 159, denominator source 157; top ticket votes; canonical-complete-contest-floor-v1; allocation share 0.0%; series 152/2.
- 2018: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 297/138.
- 2016: numerator source 159, denominator source 157; top ticket votes; canonical-complete-contest-floor-v1; allocation share 0.0%; series 148/111.
- 2012 (derived): Certified presidential returns · ACS 5-year CVAP (B05003); presidential votes cast — a floor on participation, not a ballot count.
- 2008 (derived): Certified presidential returns · ACS 5-year CVAP (B05003); presidential votes cast — a floor on participation, not a ballot count.
- 2004 (derived): Certified presidential returns · extrapolated CVAP denominator; presidential votes cast — a floor on participation, not a ballot count; 2004 predates the ACS, so the denominator is a linear back-extrapolation from the 2008 and 2012 CVAP values, not a read figure.
Interactive election map
One map. Every available contest.
The map and local result cover Stephenson County only. The complete contest result is shown below for comparison.
Stephenson County result
0 precinct units · 0 candidate votes
JB Pritzker0—
Governor contest result
Loading the complete contest result…
Explore precinct resultsSearch, sort, compare years, or export CSV · 82 precincts
Precinct data
Results by precinct
82 precincts · 21,227 votes
Precinct boundaries and identifiers are cycle-specific. This table does not join rows across years without a validated crosswalk.
| Precinct -FREEPORT 16FREEPORT 16 | 507 | 443 | 35 | 985 | 51.5% | 45.0% | D+6.5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct -WEST POINT 1WEST POINT 1 | 238 | 673 | 39 | 950 | 25.1% | 70.8% | R+45.8 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 08FREEPORT 08 | 403 | 466 | 27 | 896 | 45.0% | 52.0% | R+7.0 |
| Precinct -ROCK GROVEROCK GROVE | 251 | 603 | 11 | 865 | 29.0% | 69.7% | R+40.7 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 14FREEPORT 14 | 449 | 347 | 33 | 829 | 54.2% | 41.9% | D+12.3 |
| Precinct -WEST POINT 2WEST POINT 2 | 255 | 555 | 13 | 823 | 31.0% | 67.4% | R+36.5 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 12FREEPORT 12 | 393 | 377 | 21 | 791 | 49.7% | 47.7% | D+2.0 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 13FREEPORT 13 | 449 | 313 | 20 | 782 | 57.4% | 40.0% | D+17.4 |
| Precinct -FLORENCEFLORENCE | 285 | 477 | 16 | 778 | 36.6% | 61.3% | R+24.7 |
| Precinct -LANCASTERLANCASTER | 229 | 526 | 15 | 770 | 29.7% | 68.3% | R+38.6 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 09FREEPORT 09 | 355 | 369 | 28 | 752 | 47.2% | 49.1% | R+1.9 |
| Precinct -RIDOTTRIDOTT | 211 | 512 | 23 | 746 | 28.3% | 68.6% | R+40.3 |
| Precinct -LORANLORAN | 173 | 539 | 16 | 728 | 23.8% | 74.0% | R+50.3 |
| Precinct -BUCKEYEBUCKEYE | 193 | 488 | 25 | 706 | 27.3% | 69.1% | R+41.8 |
| Precinct -ROCK RUN 2ROCK RUN 2 | 214 | 462 | 25 | 701 | 30.5% | 65.9% | R+35.4 |
| Precinct -HARLEM 1HARLEM 1 | 251 | 406 | 28 | 685 | 36.6% | 59.3% | R+22.6 |
| Precinct -ONECOONECO | 196 | 439 | 14 | 649 | 30.2% | 67.6% | R+37.4 |
| Precinct -HARLEM 2HARLEM 2 | 248 | 371 | 13 | 632 | 39.2% | 58.7% | R+19.5 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 07FREEPORT 07 | 291 | 313 | 15 | 619 | 47.0% | 50.6% | R+3.6 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 15FREEPORT 15 | 317 | 260 | 9 | 586 | 54.1% | 44.4% | D+9.7 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 10FREEPORT 10 | 287 | 262 | 20 | 569 | 50.4% | 46.0% | D+4.4 |
| Precinct -ROCK RUN 1ROCK RUN 1 | 133 | 412 | 16 | 561 | 23.7% | 73.4% | R+49.7 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 11FREEPORT 11 | 223 | 275 | 18 | 516 | 43.2% | 53.3% | R+10.1 |
| Precinct -WADDAMSWADDAMS | 92 | 352 | 10 | 454 | 20.3% | 77.5% | R+57.3 |
| Precinct -DAKOTADAKOTA | 79 | 299 | 12 | 390 | 20.3% | 76.7% | R+56.4 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 05FREEPORT 05 | 205 | 170 | 11 | 386 | 53.1% | 44.0% | D+9.1 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 03FREEPORT 03 | 203 | 169 | 13 | 385 | 52.7% | 43.9% | D+8.8 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 06FREEPORT 06 | 212 | 148 | 12 | 372 | 57.0% | 39.8% | D+17.2 |
| Precinct -SILVER CREEKSILVER CREEK | 97 | 258 | 11 | 366 | 26.5% | 70.5% | R+44.0 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 02FREEPORT 02 | 207 | 137 | 12 | 356 | 58.1% | 38.5% | D+19.7 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 04FREEPORT 04 | 186 | 153 | 5 | 344 | 54.1% | 44.5% | D+9.6 |
| Precinct -KENTKENT | 109 | 214 | 11 | 334 | 32.6% | 64.1% | R+31.4 |
| Precinct -WINSLOWWINSLOW | 52 | 217 | 9 | 278 | 18.7% | 78.1% | R+59.4 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 01FREEPORT 01 | 182 | 74 | 8 | 264 | 68.9% | 28.0% | D+40.9 |
| Precinct -ERINERIN | 69 | 166 | 6 | 241 | 28.6% | 68.9% | R+40.2 |
| Precinct -JEFFERSONJEFFERSON | 34 | 102 | 2 | 138 | 24.6% | 73.9% | R+49.3 |
| BUCKEYE 1 Voting District17_1717701301 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| BUCKEYE 2 Voting District17_1717701302 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| DAKOTA Voting District17_1717701401 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ERIN Voting District17_1717700901 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FLORENCE 1 Voting District17_1717700301 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FLORENCE 2 Voting District17_1717700302 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 1 Voting District17_1717701801 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 10 Voting District17_1717701810 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 11 Voting District17_1717701811 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 12 Voting District17_1717701812 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 13 Voting District17_1717701813 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 14 Voting District17_1717701814 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 15 Voting District17_1717701815 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 16 Voting District17_1717701816 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 17 Voting District17_1717701817 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 18 Voting District17_1717701818 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 19 Voting District17_1717701819 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 2 Voting District17_1717701802 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 20 Voting District17_1717701820 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 21 Voting District17_1717701821 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 3 Voting District17_1717701803 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 4 Voting District17_1717701804 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 5 Voting District17_1717701805 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 6 Voting District17_1717701806 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 7 Voting District17_1717701807 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 8 Voting District17_1717701808 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 9 Voting District17_1717701809 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| HARLEM 1 Voting District17_1717700801 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| HARLEM 2 Voting District17_1717700802 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| JEFFERSON Voting District17_1717700101 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| KENT Voting District17_1717701001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| LANCASTER 1 Voting District17_1717700701 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| LANCASTER 2 Voting District17_1717700702 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| LORAN Voting District17_1717700201 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ONECO Voting District17_1717701601 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| RIDOTT 1 Voting District17_1717700501 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| RIDOTT 2 Voting District17_1717700502 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ROCK GROVE Voting District17_1717701501 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ROCK RUN 1 Voting District17_1717700601 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ROCK RUN 2 Voting District17_1717700602 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| SILVER CREEK Voting District17_1717700401 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WADDAMS Voting District17_1717701201 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WEST POINT 1 Voting District17_1717701101 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WEST POINT 2 Voting District17_1717701102 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WEST POINT 3 Voting District17_1717701103 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WINSLOW Voting District17_1717701701 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
presidential history
Party record book
Stephenson County, IL · the strongest Democratic and Republican presidential performances recorded here, measured three ways.
1892–2024 · 34 presidential cycles
Highest vote share
Largest share of the presidential candidate vote cast here.
Democratic
Lyndon B. Johnson1964
54.0%
10,854 votes · D+8.0
Runner-up · Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 · 53.1%
Republican
Warren G. Harding1920
74.6%
9,570 votes · R+53.0
Runner-up · Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1956 · 69.1%
Most votes
Largest number of votes cast for the party’s presidential nominee here.
Democratic
Barack Obama2008
11,349votes
52.5% of the vote · D+6.7
Runner-up · Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964 · 10,854 votes
Republican
Dwight D. Eisenhower1952
14,446votes
68.5% of the vote · R+37.2
Runner-up · Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1956 · 14,245 votes
Best relative to the U.S.
This Place’s margin against the national margin in the same election — positive when it leaned toward the party more than the country did.
Democratic
Woodrow Wilson1912
+7.9pts D vs U.S.
Place D+27.4 · U.S. D+19.5
Runner-up · William J. Bryan, 1908 · +3.7 pts
Republican
Wendell Willkie1940
+32.2pts R vs U.S.
Place R+22.3 · U.S. D+9.9
Runner-up · Thomas E. Dewey, 1944 · +28.6 pts
current representation
Current officeholders
RAndrew ChesneyState Senate · 45
RTony McCombieState House · 89
RJohn CabelloState House · 90
Seats representing Stephenson County, IL. A county elects none of these itself — they are the members for the 2 congressional, 1 state senate and 2 state house districts it falls inside, so parts of the county are represented by different members.
U.S. House elections · 2 House
Senate and governor results are in the Office selector at the top of this page.
U.S. House
Each row shows U.S. House votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
| Year | Vote lead | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 35.3%6,993 | 64.7%12,842 | 19,835 |
| 2020 | R | 44.0%9,646 | 56.0%12,261 | 21,907 |
voter registration
Registered voters
Total registered voters, over time
Registered voters
| Year | Total registered |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 34,641 |
| 2018 | 34,853 |
| 2020 | 33,476 |
| 2022 | 28,385 |
| 2024 | 29,105 |
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net migration over time, and who arrivals are — where they came from and what those places vote
−17 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
Net −3,655 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
Arrivals reported $45,908 in average income, against $68,914 for residents who stayed — 33% lower. (IRS SOI, 2022–23)
The places arrivals came from lean D+3.1 on average — 22 points more Democratic-leaning than Stephenson County, IL itself (R+19.4).
Where arrivals came from lean of each source
- Winnebago County, IL161D+0.6
- Ogle County, IL58R+29.3
- Cook County, IL57D+41.6
- Green County, WI45D+0.3
- Dane County, WI37D+51.5
- Carroll County, IL33R+31.7
Where departures went households, 2022–23
- Winnebago County, IL142
- Cook County, IL50
- Ogle County, IL47
- Green County, WI44
- Carroll County, IL43
- Jo Daviess County, IL34
Migration is one input to a place’s political change, not its cause — a shift can also come from residents changing their minds, generational turnover, or turnout. These figures describe the places people moved between; they do not measure how any mover voted.
| Year | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2011 | −252 |
| 2012 | −451 |
| 2013 | −191 |
| 2014 | −404 |
| 2015 | −612 |
| 2016 | −144 |
| 2017 | −461 |
| 2018 | −146 |
| 2019 | −252 |
| 2021 | −220 |
| 2022 | −246 |
| 2023 | −181 |
| 2024 | −78 |
| 2025 | −17 |
Stephenson County sits in Illinois's northwestern corner, anchored by Freeport, and has voted Republican in every presidential race since 2000 by double-digit margins, reflecting broader rural consolidation across the Driftless-adjacent Midwest.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 27.4 points in 1912 and a Republican high of 53.0 points in 1920. Between 2020 and 2024 the county moved 3.7 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 19.4 points.
A population of 43,768, a 79% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $64,043 describe the county. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Lee County and Whiteside County.
Political twins — counties
The counties whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Lee County
Illinois
79.7twin score
% Catholicelasticity2012–2024 trajectory
Whiteside County
Illinois
79.6twin score
elasticity2008–2024 trajectory≠ 12-yr trend
Lincoln County
Wisconsin
77.6twin score
elasticity2008–2016 trajectory≠ Polish ancestry
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
Browse places by community — income, education, race & ethnicity, language — all community cuts →
Compare two places, side by side
Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →
Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Stephenson County, Illinois. Akashic. https://akashic.app/county/17177/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Cities & towns in Stephenson County
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Frequently asked questions
How did Stephenson County, Illinois vote in 2024?
In 2024, Stephenson County, Illinois voted Republican by 19.4 points (R+19.4), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 20,995 votes cast, 8,278 went Democratic and 12,347 went Republican.
When did Stephenson County, Illinois last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Stephenson County, Illinois voted Democratic was 2008.
How many people live in Stephenson County, Illinois?
Stephenson County, Illinois has a population of 43,768 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Stephenson County, Illinois?
Median household income in Stephenson County, Illinois is $64,043 — below the national median of $80,734. The Illinois state median is $83,390.
What is the political history of Stephenson County, Illinois?
Akashic tracks 38 presidential elections in Stephenson County, Illinois from 1876 to 2024. Of those, 6 went Democratic and 28 went Republican.