HarrisDemocratic41.6%7,935TrumpRepublican56.6%10,794KennedyWe The People0.9%170
R+15.0- Lead
- 2,859
- Total
- 19,054
- vs nation
- R+13.5
- Turnout
- 65.2%
Akashiccounty
Des Moines County, IA
Contests in this Place (88 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 65.2% of 29,402 citizens 18+
BidenDemocratic44.6%8,893TrumpRepublican53.1%10,592JorgensenLibertarian1.4%275
R+8.5- Lead
- 1,699
- Total
- 19,956
- vs nation
- R+13.0
- Turnout
- 67.2%
ClintonDemocratic42.6%8,212TrumpRepublican49.4%9,529JohnsonLibertarian3.3%635
R+6.8- Lead
- 1,317
- Total
- 19,271
- vs nation
- R+8.9
- Turnout
- 63.0%
ObamaDemocratic58.3%11,888RomneyRepublican39.9%8,136JohnsonLibertarian0.7%137
D+18.4- Lead
- 3,752
- Total
- 20,385
- vs nation
- D+14.6
- Turnout
- —
ObamaDemocratic60.6%12,462McCainRepublican37.5%7,721OtherAll other candidates1.9%387
D+23.0- Lead
- 4,741
- Total
- 20,570
- vs nation
- D+15.8
- Turnout
- —
KerryDemocratic59.7%12,456BushRepublican39.4%8,221OtherAll other candidates0.9%197
D+20.3- Lead
- 4,235
- Total
- 20,874
- vs nation
- D+22.7
- Turnout
- —
GoreDemocratic58.6%11,351BushRepublican38.1%7,385NaderGreen2.1%409
D+20.5- Lead
- 3,966
- Total
- 19,365
- vs nation
- D+20.0
- Turnout
- —
ClintonDemocratic57.9%10,761DoleRepublican31.1%5,778PerotReform9.6%1,792
D+26.8- Lead
- 4,983
- Total
- 18,574
- vs nation
- D+18.3
- Turnout
- —
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- R+15.0MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 38,4872024 5-year
- Population density
- 92 / sq mi2024 5-year · TIGER/Line
- Land area
- 416 sq miTIGER/Line
- Median household income
- $62,9282024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 84.5%2024 5-year
- Black
- 4.7%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 3.7%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+40.8 in 1964MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+37.2 in 1920MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Lee County, IA · twin score 93.5
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
- 65.2%19,171 participants ÷ 29,402 CVAP
- 2020→2022 drop-off
- +21.3 ptsPresidential-dependent
- Drop-off vs state
- +0.3 ptsPositive means a larger decline than the statewide pattern
- Mechanical 2026
- 43.9%–48.3%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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19,171 | 29,402 ± 275 | 65.2% | Audited | A/A | |
| 2022Mid | 13,585 | 29,590 ± 272 | 45.9% | Audited | A/A |
| 20,082 | 29,887 ± 221 | 67.2% | Audited | A/A | |
| 2018Mid | 15,251 | 30,194 ± 190 | 50.5% | Audited | A/A |
| 19,271 | 30,599 ± 190 | 63.0% | Audited | A/A | |
| 20,385 | 30,683 | 66.4% | Derived | — | |
| 20,570 | 30,906 | 66.6% | Derived | — | |
| 20,874 | 31,129 extrapolated | 67.1% | 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 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 306/183.
- 2020: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 301/2.
- 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 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 293/111.
- 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 Des Moines County only. The complete contest result is shown below for comparison.
Des Moines County result
0 precinct units · 0 candidate votes
Rob Sand0—
Write-in0—
Governor contest result
Loading the complete contest result…
Explore precinct resultsSearch, sort, compare years, or export CSV · 17 precincts
Precinct data
Results by precinct
17 precincts · 18,998 votes
Precinct boundaries and identifiers are cycle-specific. This table does not join rows across years without a validated crosswalk.
| Precinct -PCT 8PCT 8 | 931 | 943 | 27 | 1,901 | 49.0% | 49.6% | R+0.6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct -PCT 1PCT 1 | 775 | 934 | 19 | 1,728 | 44.8% | 54.1% | R+9.2 |
| Precinct -Mediapolis Town / Franklin & Yellow Spring TwpsMediapolis Town / Franklin & Yellow Spring Twps | 422 | 1,235 | 19 | 1,676 | 25.2% | 73.7% | R+48.5 |
| Precinct -PCT 4PCT 4 | 735 | 787 | 23 | 1,545 | 47.6% | 50.9% | R+3.4 |
| Precinct -Flint River Twp / MiddletownFlint River Twp / Middletown | 541 | 913 | 22 | 1,476 | 36.7% | 61.9% | R+25.2 |
| Precinct -PCT 7PCT 7 | 680 | 755 | 18 | 1,453 | 46.8% | 52.0% | R+5.2 |
| Precinct -West Burlington TownWest Burlington Town | 651 | 693 | 20 | 1,364 | 47.7% | 50.8% | R+3.1 |
| Precinct -PCT 3PCT 3 | 639 | 625 | 20 | 1,284 | 49.8% | 48.7% | D+1.1 |
| Precinct -PCT 5PCT 5 | 583 | 518 | 25 | 1,126 | 51.8% | 46.0% | D+5.8 |
| Precinct -PCT 2PCT 2 | 543 | 480 | 22 | 1,045 | 52.0% | 45.9% | D+6.0 |
| Precinct -Danville Town / Danville TwpDanville Town / Danville Twp | 251 | 730 | 14 | 995 | 25.2% | 73.4% | R+48.1 |
| Precinct -Benton / Huron / Jackson TwpsBenton / Huron / Jackson Twps | 199 | 582 | 10 | 791 | 25.2% | 73.6% | R+48.4 |
| Precinct -PCT 6PCT 6 | 410 | 326 | 9 | 745 | 55.0% | 43.8% | D+11.3 |
| Precinct -Tama TwpTama Twp | 162 | 385 | 8 | 555 | 29.2% | 69.4% | R+40.2 |
| Precinct -Union TwpUnion Twp | 152 | 307 | 4 | 463 | 32.8% | 66.3% | R+33.5 |
| Precinct -Concordia TwpConcordia Twp | 178 | 252 | 5 | 435 | 40.9% | 57.9% | R+17.0 |
| Precinct -Pleasant Grove / Washington TwpsPleasant Grove / Washington Twps | 83 | 329 | 4 | 416 | 20.0% | 79.1% | R+59.1 |
presidential history
Party record book
Des Moines County, IA · 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
70.3%
13,894 votes · D+40.8
Runner-up · Barack Obama, 2008 · 60.6%
Republican
Herbert Hoover1928
64.7%
10,547 votes · R+30.5
Runner-up · Warren G. Harding, 1920 · 63.8%
Most votes
Largest number of votes cast for the party’s presidential nominee here.
Democratic
Lyndon B. Johnson1964
13,894votes
70.3% of the vote · D+40.8
Runner-up · Barack Obama, 2008 · 12,462 votes
Republican
Dwight D. Eisenhower1952
12,182votes
58.1% of the vote · R+16.7
Runner-up · Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1956 · 11,152 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
Michael Dukakis1988
+28.1pts D vs U.S.
Place D+20.3 · U.S. R+7.7
Runner-up · Walter Mondale, 1984 · +26.0 pts
Republican
Wendell Willkie1940
+35.0pts R vs U.S.
Place R+25.0 · U.S. D+9.9
Runner-up · Alf Landon, 1936 · +22.7 pts
current representation
Current officeholders
RMark LofgrenState Senate · 48
RJeff ReichmanState Senate · 50
RTaylor CollinsState House · 95
RMatt RinkerState House · 99
Seats representing Des Moines County, IA. A county elects none of these itself — they are the members for the 1 congressional, 2 state senate and 2 state house districts it falls inside, so parts of the county are represented by different members.
U.S. House elections · 3 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.
voter registration
Registered voters
By party of registration, over time
Party registration · 2024D+1.7
Presidential vote · 2024R+15.0
Des Moines County, IA registers Democratic but votes Republican — a 17-point gap between how voters register and how they vote, the signature of ancestral registration that trails realignment.
DemocraticRepublicanUnaffiliatedOther parties
| Year | Total registered | Democratic | Republican | Unaffiliated | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 29,105 | 14,090 | 6,189 | 8,813 | 13 |
| 2010 | 29,212 | 13,226 | 6,657 | 9,311 | 18 |
| 2012 | 29,401 | 12,904 | 6,809 | 9,659 | 29 |
| 2014 | 28,313 | 12,003 | 6,492 | 9,766 | 52 |
| 2016 | 28,517 | 11,500 | 7,122 | 9,763 | 132 |
| 2018 | 28,385 | 11,033 | 7,092 | 10,065 | 195 |
| 2020 | 28,735 | 11,189 | 8,081 | 9,241 | 224 |
| 2022 | 27,846 | 10,056 | 8,185 | 9,363 | 242 |
| 2024 | 27,961 | 9,019 | 8,532 | 10,124 | 286 |
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net migration over time, and who arrivals are — where they came from and what those places vote
+27 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
Net −1,838 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
Arrivals reported $54,710 in average income, against $86,773 for residents who stayed — 37% lower. (IRS SOI, 2022–23)
The places arrivals came from lean R+18.6 on average — 3.5 points more Republican-leaning than Des Moines County, IA itself (R+15.0).
Where arrivals came from lean of each source
- Lee County, IA87R+27.7
- Henry County, IA76R+35.9
- Henderson County, IL47R+38.8
- Cook County, IL33D+41.6
- Louisa County, IA33R+40.9
- Scott County, IA28R+3.9
Where departures went households, 2022–23
- Lee County, IA84
- Henry County, IA60
- Johnson County, IA46
- Henderson County, IL33
- Linn County, IA31
- Polk County, IA28
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 | −207 |
| 2012 | +158 |
| 2013 | +134 |
| 2014 | −332 |
| 2015 | −238 |
| 2016 | −294 |
| 2017 | −284 |
| 2018 | −215 |
| 2019 | −173 |
| 2021 | −242 |
| 2022 | −186 |
| 2023 | +80 |
| 2024 | −66 |
| 2025 | +27 |
Des Moines County anchors Iowa's southeastern corner at the confluence of the Iowa and Mississippi rivers. Once a reliably competitive bellwether, it has trended Republican in each of the last three presidential cycles, landing at R+15 in 2024.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 40.8 points in 1964 and a Republican high of 37.2 points in 1920. Between 2020 and 2024 the county moved 6.5 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 15.0 points.
A population of 38,487, a 85% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $62,928 describe the county. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Lee County and Knox County.
Political twins — counties
The counties whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Lee County
Iowa
93.5twin score
2000–2012 trajectory12-yr trend≠ Swedish ancestry
Knox County
Illinois
91.8twin score
2000–2012 trajectory≠ Swedish ancestry
Clinton County
Iowa
90.2twin score
2000–2012 trajectory≠ Scottish 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.
Des Moines County, Iowa. Akashic. https://akashic.app/county/19057/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Cities & towns in Des Moines County
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Frequently asked questions
How did Des Moines County, Iowa vote in 2024?
In 2024, Des Moines County, Iowa voted Republican by 15.0 points (R+15.0), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 19,054 votes cast, 7,935 went Democratic and 10,794 went Republican.
When did Des Moines County, Iowa last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Des Moines County, Iowa voted Democratic was 2012.
How many people live in Des Moines County, Iowa?
Des Moines County, Iowa has a population of 38,487 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Des Moines County, Iowa?
Median household income in Des Moines County, Iowa is $62,928 — below the national median of $80,734. The Iowa state median is $75,059.
What is the political history of Des Moines County, Iowa?
Akashic tracks 38 presidential elections in Des Moines County, Iowa from 1876 to 2024. Of those, 17 went Democratic and 17 went Republican.