HarrisDemocratic33.6%4,896TrumpRepublican65.0%9,479KennedyWe The People0.9%127
R+31.4- Lead
- 4,583
- Total
- 14,583
- vs nation
- R+30.0
- Turnout
- 59.1%
Akashiccounty
Wapello 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 59.1% of 24,880 citizens 18+
BidenDemocratic37.2%5,821TrumpRepublican60.9%9,516JorgensenLibertarian1.3%200
R+23.6- Lead
- 3,695
- Total
- 15,633
- vs nation
- R+28.1
- Turnout
- 61.2%
ClintonDemocratic36.6%5,594TrumpRepublican57.0%8,715JohnsonLibertarian2.5%380
R+20.4- Lead
- 3,121
- Total
- 15,277
- vs nation
- R+22.5
- Turnout
- 60.0%
ObamaDemocratic54.9%8,663RomneyRepublican43.1%6,789JohnsonLibertarian0.7%110
D+11.9- Lead
- 1,874
- Total
- 15,770
- vs nation
- D+8.0
- Turnout
- —
ObamaDemocratic55.4%8,820McCainRepublican41.8%6,663OtherAll other candidates2.8%448
D+13.5- Lead
- 2,157
- Total
- 15,931
- vs nation
- D+6.3
- Turnout
- —
KerryDemocratic54.6%9,125BushRepublican44.3%7,403OtherAll other candidates1.1%179
D+10.3- Lead
- 1,722
- Total
- 16,707
- vs nation
- D+12.8
- Turnout
- —
GoreDemocratic55.2%8,355BushRepublican41.7%6,313NaderGreen2.1%317
D+13.5- Lead
- 2,042
- Total
- 15,139
- vs nation
- D+13.0
- Turnout
- —
ClintonDemocratic57.1%8,437DoleRepublican32.7%4,828PerotReform9.3%1,376
D+24.4- Lead
- 3,609
- Total
- 14,770
- vs nation
- D+15.9
- Turnout
- —
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- R+31.4MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 35,3622024 5-year
- Population density
- 82 / sq mi2024 5-year · TIGER/Line
- Land area
- 432 sq miTIGER/Line
- Median household income
- $64,7662024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 75.6%2024 5-year
- Black
- 3.0%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 13.4%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+43.2 in 1964MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+39.6 in 1920MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Lee County, IA · twin score 88.6
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
- 59.1%14,697 participants ÷ 24,880 CVAP
- 2020→2022 drop-off
- +19.4 ptsVolatile
- Drop-off vs state
- -1.6 ptsPositive means a larger decline than the statewide pattern
- Mechanical 2026
- 39.6%–43.0%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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14,697 | 24,880 ± 402 | 59.1% | Audited | A/A | |
| 2022Mid | 10,603 | 25,398 ± 363 | 41.7% | Audited | A/A |
| 15,735 | 25,723 ± 361 | 61.2% | Audited | A/A | |
| 2018Mid | 12,174 | 25,692 ± 314 | 47.4% | Audited | A/A |
| 15,277 | 25,445 ± 256 | 60.0% | Audited | A/A | |
| 15,770 | 26,166 | 60.3% | Derived | — | |
| 15,931 | 26,470 | 60.2% | Derived | — | |
| 16,707 | 26,774 extrapolated | 62.4% | 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 Wapello County only. The complete contest result is shown below for comparison.
Wapello 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 · 22 precincts
Precinct data
Results by precinct
22 precincts · 14,571 votes
Precinct boundaries and identifiers are cycle-specific. This table does not join rows across years without a validated crosswalk.
| Precinct -Ottumwa 3Ottumwa 3 | 639 | 780 | 17 | 1,436 | 44.5% | 54.3% | R+9.8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct -Ottumwa 2Ottumwa 2 | 522 | 687 | 20 | 1,229 | 42.5% | 55.9% | R+13.4 |
| Precinct -Ottumwa 9Ottumwa 9 | 421 | 633 | 13 | 1,067 | 39.5% | 59.3% | R+19.9 |
| Precinct -Ottumwa 8Ottumwa 8 | 317 | 624 | 13 | 954 | 33.2% | 65.4% | R+32.2 |
| Precinct -Ottumwa 10Ottumwa 10 | 361 | 580 | 10 | 951 | 38.0% | 61.0% | R+23.0 |
| Precinct -Ottumwa 1Ottumwa 1 | 318 | 520 | 14 | 852 | 37.3% | 61.0% | R+23.7 |
| Precinct -Agency City/Twp/Pleasant TwpAgency City/Twp/Pleasant Twp | 208 | 566 | 13 | 787 | 26.4% | 71.9% | R+45.5 |
| Precinct -Adams Twp/Blakesurg City/PolkAdams Twp/Blakesurg City/Polk | 154 | 605 | 12 | 771 | 20.0% | 78.5% | R+58.5 |
| Precinct -Center TownshipCenter Township | 195 | 550 | 8 | 753 | 25.9% | 73.0% | R+47.1 |
| Precinct -Ottumwa 7Ottumwa 7 | 267 | 460 | 12 | 739 | 36.1% | 62.2% | R+26.1 |
| Precinct -Ottumwa 6Ottumwa 6 | 241 | 449 | 15 | 705 | 34.2% | 63.7% | R+29.5 |
| Precinct -Ottumwa 5Ottumwa 5 | 282 | 348 | 5 | 635 | 44.4% | 54.8% | R+10.4 |
| Precinct -Washington TownshipWashington Township | 139 | 484 | 7 | 630 | 22.1% | 76.8% | R+54.8 |
| Precinct -Ottumwa 4Ottumwa 4 | 236 | 337 | 7 | 580 | 40.7% | 58.1% | R+17.4 |
| Precinct -Green TownshipGreen Township | 105 | 377 | 7 | 489 | 21.5% | 77.1% | R+55.6 |
| Precinct -Columbia TownshipColumbia Township | 119 | 359 | 3 | 481 | 24.7% | 74.6% | R+49.9 |
| Precinct -Keokuk TownshipKeokuk Township | 107 | 352 | 9 | 468 | 22.9% | 75.2% | R+52.4 |
| Precinct -Richland TownshipRichland Township | 104 | 291 | 3 | 398 | 26.1% | 73.1% | R+47.0 |
| Precinct -Dahlonega TownshipDahlonega Township | 94 | 189 | 2 | 285 | 33.0% | 66.3% | R+33.3 |
| Precinct -Highland TwpHighland Twp | 31 | 110 | 3 | 144 | 21.5% | 76.4% | R+54.9 |
| Precinct -Competine TwpCompetine Twp | 16 | 105 | 1 | 122 | 13.1% | 86.1% | R+73.0 |
| Precinct -Cass TownshipCass Township | 20 | 73 | 2 | 95 | 21.1% | 76.8% | R+55.8 |
presidential history
Party record book
Wapello 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
71.5%
13,971 votes · D+43.2
Runner-up · Michael Dukakis, 1988 · 64.9%
Republican
Warren G. Harding1920
68.0%
9,884 votes · R+39.6
Runner-up · Herbert Hoover, 1928 · 66.1%
Most votes
Largest number of votes cast for the party’s presidential nominee here.
Democratic
Lyndon B. Johnson1964
13,971votes
71.5% of the vote · D+43.2
Runner-up · Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1940 · 11,880 votes
Republican
Herbert Hoover1928
11,586votes
66.1% of the vote · R+33.0
Runner-up · Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1952 · 11,571 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
+38.5pts D vs U.S.
Place D+30.8 · U.S. R+7.7
Runner-up · Walter Mondale, 1984 · +37.6 pts
Republican
Donald Trump2024
+30.0pts R vs U.S.
Place R+31.4 · U.S. R+1.5
Runner-up · Donald Trump, 2020 · +28.1 pts
current representation
Current officeholders
RCherielynn WestrichState Senate · 13
RHans WilzState House · 25
RAustin HarrisState House · 26
Seats representing Wapello County, IA. A county elects none of these itself — they are the members for the 1 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 · 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 · 2024R+3.0
Presidential vote · 2024R+31.4
Registration leans Republican; the presidential vote runs 28 points more Republican than the rolls.
DemocraticRepublicanUnaffiliatedOther parties
| Year | Total registered | Democratic | Republican | Unaffiliated | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 23,695 | 11,421 | 4,888 | 7,381 | 5 |
| 2010 | 23,697 | 10,802 | 5,603 | 7,283 | 9 |
| 2012 | 23,940 | 10,297 | 5,715 | 7,906 | 22 |
| 2014 | 23,107 | 9,687 | 5,461 | 7,916 | 43 |
| 2016 | 22,854 | 9,233 | 5,806 | 7,725 | 90 |
| 2018 | 22,112 | 8,632 | 5,654 | 7,714 | 112 |
| 2020 | 22,286 | 8,201 | 6,550 | 7,383 | 152 |
| 2022 | 21,668 | 7,257 | 6,891 | 7,349 | 171 |
| 2024 | 21,487 | 6,518 | 7,158 | 7,629 | 182 |
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net migration over time, and who arrivals are — where they came from and what those places vote
−381 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
Net −2,971 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
Arrivals reported $40,943 in average income, against $67,421 for residents who stayed — 39% lower. (IRS SOI, 2022–23)
The places arrivals came from lean R+33.3 on average — 1.9 points more Republican-leaning than Wapello County, IA itself (R+31.4).
Where arrivals came from lean of each source
- Mahaska County, IA65R+51.4
- Davis County, IA48R+54.4
- Jefferson County, IA41R+6.8
- Polk County, IA35D+10.8
- Monroe County, IA31R+50.6
- Keokuk County, IA25R+51.5
Where departures went households, 2022–23
- Polk County, IA86
- Mahaska County, IA63
- Keokuk County, IA34
- Jefferson County, IA33
- Davis County, IA32
- Marion County, IA31
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 | −300 |
| 2012 | −124 |
| 2013 | −55 |
| 2014 | −216 |
| 2015 | −64 |
| 2016 | −365 |
| 2017 | −473 |
| 2018 | −129 |
| 2019 | −154 |
| 2021 | −77 |
| 2022 | −367 |
| 2023 | −23 |
| 2024 | −243 |
| 2025 | −381 |
Wapello County, anchored by Ottumwa along the Des Moines River, was a union-labor stronghold that backed Democrats into the 2000s; by 2024 it recorded an R+31 presidential margin, tracing one of Iowa's steepest partisan realignments.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 43.2 points in 1964 and a Republican high of 39.6 points in 1920. Between 2020 and 2024 the county moved 7.8 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 31.4 points.
A population of 35,362, a 76% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $64,766 describe the county. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Lee County and Clarke County.
Political twins — counties
The counties whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Lee County
Iowa
88.6twin score
12-yr trend2000–2012 trajectory≠ Irish ancestry
Clarke County
Iowa
87.9twin score
12-yr trend2000–2012 trajectory
Des Moines County
Iowa
87.3twin score
2000–2012 trajectory12-yr trend≠ 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.
Wapello County, Iowa. Akashic. https://akashic.app/county/19179/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Cities & towns in Wapello County
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Frequently asked questions
How did Wapello County, Iowa vote in 2024?
In 2024, Wapello County, Iowa voted Republican by 31.4 points (R+31.4), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 14,583 votes cast, 4,896 went Democratic and 9,479 went Republican.
When did Wapello County, Iowa last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Wapello County, Iowa voted Democratic was 2012.
How many people live in Wapello County, Iowa?
Wapello County, Iowa has a population of 35,362 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Wapello County, Iowa?
Median household income in Wapello County, Iowa is $64,766 — below the national median of $80,734. The Iowa state median is $75,059.
What is the political history of Wapello County, Iowa?
Akashic tracks 38 presidential elections in Wapello County, Iowa from 1876 to 2024. Of those, 20 went Democratic and 14 went Republican.