Kentucky — 1948 presidential election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate1948 presidential electionKentucky · PresidentTrumanD+15.3
How it voted
Share of the 1948 vote
| Harry S. Truman ✓Democratic | 56.7% | 466,756 |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas E. DeweyRepublican | 41.5% | 341,210 |
| OtherAll other candidates | 1.8% | 14,692 |
1948presidential margin
D+60R+60
120 counties, each filled by 1948 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
Kentucky cast 11 electoral votes this cycle.
County-level results (120 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Adair County, KY | Republican | R+13.8 |
| Allen County, KY | Republican | R+16.9 |
| Anderson County, KY | Democratic | D+36.9 |
| Ballard County, KY | Democratic | D+70.4 |
| Barren County, KY | Democratic | D+24.7 |
| Bath County, KY | Democratic | D+28.2 |
| Bell County, KY | Democratic | D+13.6 |
| Boone County, KY | Democratic | D+33.2 |
| Bourbon County, KY | Democratic | D+36.8 |
| Boyd County, KY | Democratic | D+14.5 |
| Boyle County, KY | Democratic | D+27.0 |
| Bracken County, KY | Democratic | D+19.9 |
| Breathitt County, KY | Democratic | D+54.8 |
| Breckinridge County, KY | Democratic | D+4.2 |
| Bullitt County, KY | Democratic | D+42.3 |
| Butler County, KY | Republican | R+38.0 |
| Caldwell County, KY | Democratic | D+14.7 |
| Calloway County, KY | Democratic | D+74.4 |
| Campbell County, KY | Democratic | D+4.6 |
| Carlisle County, KY | Democratic | D+73.7 |
| Carroll County, KY | Democratic | D+59.4 |
| Carter County, KY | Republican | R+5.9 |
| Casey County, KY | Republican | R+38.4 |
| Christian County, KY | Democratic | D+24.6 |
| Clark County, KY | Democratic | D+36.3 |
| Clay County, KY | Republican | R+35.8 |
| Clinton County, KY | Republican | R+52.0 |
| Crittenden County, KY | Republican | R+12.4 |
| Cumberland County, KY | Republican | R+41.5 |
| Daviess County, KY | Democratic | D+27.7 |
| Edmonson County, KY | Republican | R+31.3 |
| Elliott County, KY | Democratic | D+67.1 |
| Estill County, KY | Republican | R+2.9 |
| Fayette County, KY | Democratic | D+8.9 |
| Fleming County, KY | Democratic | D+13.1 |
| Floyd County, KY | Democratic | D+47.4 |
| Franklin County, KY | Democratic | D+53.5 |
| Fulton County, KY | Democratic | D+65.8 |
| Gallatin County, KY | Democratic | D+60.0 |
| Garrard County, KY | Republican | R+4.5 |
| Grant County, KY | Democratic | D+38.9 |
| Graves County, KY | Democratic | D+70.5 |
| Grayson County, KY | Republican | R+13.9 |
| Green County, KY | Republican | R+14.5 |
| Greenup County, KY | Democratic | D+13.7 |
| Hancock County, KY | Democratic | D+7.5 |
| Hardin County, KY | Democratic | D+26.3 |
| Harlan County, KY | Democratic | D+34.7 |
| Harrison County, KY | Democratic | D+47.3 |
| Hart County, KY | Democratic | D+3.8 |
| Henderson County, KY | Democratic | D+47.0 |
| Henry County, KY | Democratic | D+47.5 |
| Hickman County, KY | Democratic | D+70.9 |
| Hopkins County, KY | Democratic | D+37.8 |
| Jackson County, KY | Republican | R+73.0 |
| Jefferson County, KY | Democratic | D+0.8 |
| Jessamine County, KY | Democratic | D+22.9 |
| Johnson County, KY | Republican | R+25.3 |
| Kenton County, KY | Democratic | D+27.0 |
| Knott County, KY | Democratic | D+72.1 |
| Knox County, KY | Republican | R+20.0 |
| Larue County, KY | Democratic | D+18.3 |
| Laurel County, KY | Republican | R+30.4 |
| Lawrence County, KY | Democratic | D+5.6 |
| Lee County, KY | Republican | R+7.6 |
| Leslie County, KY | Republican | R+50.3 |
| Letcher County, KY | Democratic | D+14.2 |
| Lewis County, KY | Republican | R+30.2 |
| Lincoln County, KY | Democratic | D+5.8 |
| Livingston County, KY | Democratic | D+41.2 |
| Logan County, KY | Democratic | D+51.2 |
| Lyon County, KY | Democratic | D+42.8 |
| Madison County, KY | Democratic | D+7.1 |
| Magoffin County, KY | Democratic | D+9.0 |
| Marion County, KY | Democratic | D+43.5 |
| Marshall County, KY | Democratic | D+60.7 |
| Martin County, KY | Republican | R+36.3 |
| Mason County, KY | Democratic | D+17.7 |
| McCracken County, KY | Democratic | D+53.8 |
| McCreary County, KY | Republican | R+52.7 |
| McLean County, KY | Democratic | D+30.3 |
| Meade County, KY | Democratic | D+41.9 |
| Menifee County, KY | Democratic | D+43.3 |
| Mercer County, KY | Democratic | D+24.8 |
| Metcalfe County, KY | Democratic | D+1.3 |
| Monroe County, KY | Republican | R+38.1 |
| Montgomery County, KY | Democratic | D+41.6 |
| Morgan County, KY | Democratic | D+55.7 |
| Muhlenberg County, KY | Democratic | D+11.8 |
| Nelson County, KY | Democratic | D+34.5 |
| Nicholas County, KY | Democratic | D+39.0 |
| Ohio County, KY | Republican | R+9.5 |
| Oldham County, KY | Democratic | D+23.6 |
| Owen County, KY | Democratic | D+71.2 |
| Owsley County, KY | Republican | R+59.3 |
| Pendleton County, KY | Democratic | D+17.3 |
| Perry County, KY | Democratic | D+19.7 |
| Pike County, KY | Democratic | D+16.9 |
| Powell County, KY | Democratic | D+14.9 |
| Pulaski County, KY | Republican | R+32.2 |
| Robertson County, KY | Democratic | D+32.1 |
| Rockcastle County, KY | Republican | R+42.2 |
| Rowan County, KY | Democratic | D+16.4 |
| Russell County, KY | Republican | R+33.6 |
| Scott County, KY | Democratic | D+43.8 |
| Shelby County, KY | Democratic | D+39.4 |
| Simpson County, KY | Democratic | D+55.0 |
| Spencer County, KY | Democratic | D+44.4 |
| Taylor County, KY | Democratic | D+7.2 |
| Todd County, KY | Democratic | D+53.9 |
| Trigg County, KY | Democratic | D+49.3 |
| Trimble County, KY | Democratic | D+78.9 |
| Union County, KY | Democratic | D+65.0 |
| Warren County, KY | Democratic | D+25.5 |
| Washington County, KY | Democratic | D+7.8 |
| Wayne County, KY | Republican | R+9.9 |
| Webster County, KY | Democratic | D+49.4 |
| Whitley County, KY | Republican | R+31.0 |
| Wolfe County, KY | Democratic | D+40.4 |
| Woodford County, KY | Democratic | D+26.6 |
Kentucky results by county
120 counties. Third-party and independent votes are reported by the county source as one combined figure; every named candidate is listed in the complete result below.
| Led by | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | Thomas E. Dewey+695 | 2,14442.6% | 2,83956.4% | 531.1% | 5,036 |
| Allen County | Thomas E. Dewey+675 | 1,60540.3% | 2,28057.2% | 1002.5% | 3,985 |
| Anderson County | Harry S. Truman+1,164 | 2,13567.7% | 97130.8% | 481.5% | 3,154 |
| Ballard County | Harry S. Truman+2,248 | 2,70284.6% | 45414.2% | 391.2% | 3,195 |
| Barren County | Harry S. Truman+1,658 | 4,09561.0% | 2,43736.3% | 1832.7% | 6,715 |
| Bath County | Harry S. Truman+1,011 | 2,28763.7% | 1,27635.5% | 280.8% | 3,591 |
| Bell County | Harry S. Truman+1,381 | 5,70856.4% | 4,32742.7% | 890.9% | 10,124 |
| Boone County | Harry S. Truman+1,169 | 2,32065.9% | 1,15132.7% | 521.5% | 3,523 |
| Bourbon County | Harry S. Truman+1,952 | 3,56267.2% | 1,61030.4% | 1302.5% | 5,302 |
| Boyd County | Harry S. Truman+2,299 | 9,00656.8% | 6,70742.3% | 1310.8% | 15,844 |
| Boyle County | Harry S. Truman+1,441 | 3,33862.6% | 1,89735.6% | 1011.9% | 5,336 |
| Bracken County | Harry S. Truman+624 | 1,86359.4% | 1,23939.5% | 321.0% | 3,134 |
| Breathitt County | Harry S. Truman+2,338 | 3,29577.3% | 95722.4% | 120.3% | 4,264 |
| Breckinridge County | Harry S. Truman+216 | 2,62351.3% | 2,40747.1% | 801.6% | 5,110 |
| Bullitt County | Harry S. Truman+1,008 | 1,68170.5% | 67328.2% | 311.3% | 2,385 |
| Butler County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,389 | 1,10530.2% | 2,49468.2% | 591.6% | 3,658 |
| Caldwell County | Harry S. Truman+584 | 2,21055.5% | 1,62640.8% | 1493.7% | 3,985 |
| Calloway County | Harry S. Truman+4,215 | 4,89686.4% | 68112.0% | 911.6% | 5,668 |
| Campbell County | Harry S. Truman+1,157 | 13,00851.6% | 11,85147.0% | 3721.5% | 25,231 |
| Carlisle County | Harry S. Truman+1,620 | 1,89986.4% | 27912.7% | 211.0% | 2,199 |
| Carroll County | Harry S. Truman+1,987 | 2,62678.5% | 63919.1% | 802.4% | 3,345 |
| Carter County | Thomas E. Dewey+390 | 3,08246.9% | 3,47252.8% | 230.3% | 6,577 |
| Casey County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,885 | 1,49530.4% | 3,38068.8% | 360.7% | 4,911 |
| Christian County | Harry S. Truman+2,340 | 5,58258.7% | 3,24234.1% | 6787.1% | 9,502 |
| Clark County | Harry S. Truman+1,784 | 3,29267.1% | 1,50830.7% | 1082.2% | 4,908 |
| Clay County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,674 | 1,46831.4% | 3,14267.2% | 661.4% | 4,676 |
| Clinton County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,586 | 70923.3% | 2,29575.3% | 441.4% | 3,048 |
| Crittenden County | Thomas E. Dewey+430 | 1,49743.3% | 1,92755.7% | 371.1% | 3,461 |
| Cumberland County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,153 | 79428.6% | 1,94770.2% | 341.2% | 2,775 |
| Daviess County | Harry S. Truman+3,809 | 8,68263.2% | 4,87335.5% | 1721.3% | 13,727 |
| Edmonson County | Thomas E. Dewey+953 | 1,03133.8% | 1,98465.1% | 331.1% | 3,048 |
| Elliott County | Harry S. Truman+1,685 | 2,09583.4% | 41016.3% | 70.3% | 2,512 |
| Estill County | Thomas E. Dewey+119 | 1,93747.9% | 2,05650.8% | 521.3% | 4,045 |
| Fayette County | Harry S. Truman+2,243 | 13,20252.5% | 10,95943.6% | 9944.0% | 25,155 |
| Fleming County | Harry S. Truman+634 | 2,72256.1% | 2,08843.0% | 420.9% | 4,852 |
| Floyd County | Harry S. Truman+5,696 | 8,82373.4% | 3,12726.0% | 660.5% | 12,016 |
| Franklin County | Harry S. Truman+4,717 | 6,67975.7% | 1,96222.2% | 1812.1% | 8,822 |
| Fulton County | Harry S. Truman+2,047 | 2,49780.3% | 45014.5% | 1635.2% | 3,110 |
| Gallatin County | Harry S. Truman+1,039 | 1,38179.8% | 34219.8% | 80.5% | 1,731 |
| Garrard County | Thomas E. Dewey+165 | 1,72547.2% | 1,89051.7% | 411.1% | 3,656 |
| Grant County | Harry S. Truman+1,479 | 2,63369.2% | 1,15430.3% | 160.4% | 3,803 |
| Graves County | Harry S. Truman+7,240 | 8,68284.5% | 1,44214.0% | 1521.5% | 10,276 |
| Grayson County | Thomas E. Dewey+706 | 2,17442.7% | 2,88056.6% | 380.7% | 5,092 |
| Green County | Thomas E. Dewey+558 | 1,62842.2% | 2,18656.6% | 461.2% | 3,860 |
| Greenup County | Harry S. Truman+1,018 | 4,18656.5% | 3,16842.8% | 520.7% | 7,406 |
| Hancock County | Harry S. Truman+161 | 1,14653.4% | 98545.9% | 160.7% | 2,147 |
| Hardin County | Harry S. Truman+1,693 | 3,99061.9% | 2,29735.6% | 1602.5% | 6,447 |
| Harlan County | Harry S. Truman+4,756 | 9,15866.8% | 4,40232.1% | 1501.1% | 13,710 |
| Harrison County | Harry S. Truman+2,270 | 3,49472.8% | 1,22425.5% | 841.7% | 4,802 |
| Hart County | Harry S. Truman+184 | 2,49551.3% | 2,31147.5% | 591.2% | 4,865 |
| Henderson County | Harry S. Truman+3,595 | 5,49971.9% | 1,90424.9% | 2433.2% | 7,646 |
| Henry County | Harry S. Truman+2,205 | 3,39873.2% | 1,19325.7% | 491.1% | 4,640 |
| Hickman County | Harry S. Truman+1,817 | 2,14383.6% | 32612.7% | 953.7% | 2,564 |
| Hopkins County | Harry S. Truman+3,541 | 6,14965.7% | 2,60827.8% | 6096.5% | 9,366 |
| Jackson County | Thomas E. Dewey+2,352 | 42913.3% | 2,78186.3% | 120.4% | 3,222 |
| Jefferson County | Harry S. Truman+1,111 | 70,75649.3% | 69,64548.5% | 3,2282.2% | 143,629 |
| Jessamine County | Harry S. Truman+887 | 2,30159.3% | 1,41436.5% | 1634.2% | 3,878 |
| Johnson County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,615 | 2,37837.2% | 3,99362.5% | 210.3% | 6,392 |
| Kenton County | Harry S. Truman+8,147 | 18,91862.6% | 10,77135.7% | 5111.7% | 30,200 |
| Knott County | Harry S. Truman+3,906 | 4,66086.1% | 75413.9% | 00.0% | 5,414 |
| Knox County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,427 | 2,81439.5% | 4,24159.5% | 681.0% | 7,123 |
| Larue County | Harry S. Truman+587 | 1,86458.1% | 1,27739.8% | 652.0% | 3,206 |
| Laurel County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,920 | 2,18734.6% | 4,10764.9% | 320.5% | 6,326 |
| Lawrence County | Harry S. Truman+255 | 2,37252.5% | 2,11746.8% | 320.7% | 4,521 |
| Lee County | Thomas E. Dewey+175 | 1,05845.7% | 1,23353.2% | 261.1% | 2,317 |
| Leslie County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,614 | 78324.4% | 2,39774.6% | 311.0% | 3,211 |
| Letcher County | Harry S. Truman+1,181 | 4,74157.0% | 3,56042.8% | 230.3% | 8,324 |
| Lewis County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,259 | 1,44934.7% | 2,70864.9% | 150.4% | 4,172 |
| Lincoln County | Harry S. Truman+327 | 2,92052.0% | 2,59346.2% | 1011.8% | 5,614 |
| Livingston County | Harry S. Truman+951 | 1,62270.2% | 67129.0% | 180.8% | 2,311 |
| Logan County | Harry S. Truman+3,003 | 4,35574.3% | 1,35223.1% | 1582.7% | 5,865 |
| Lyon County | Harry S. Truman+923 | 1,50569.8% | 58227.0% | 683.2% | 2,155 |
| Madison County | Harry S. Truman+725 | 5,34452.6% | 4,61945.5% | 1931.9% | 10,156 |
| Magoffin County | Harry S. Truman+371 | 2,25354.5% | 1,88245.5% | 00.0% | 4,135 |
| Marion County | Harry S. Truman+1,837 | 3,00871.2% | 1,17127.7% | 461.1% | 4,225 |
| Marshall County | Harry S. Truman+2,231 | 2,94280.1% | 71119.4% | 200.5% | 3,673 |
| Martin County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,053 | 91131.4% | 1,96467.8% | 230.8% | 2,898 |
| Mason County | Harry S. Truman+1,101 | 3,62058.3% | 2,51940.6% | 691.1% | 6,208 |
| McCracken County | Harry S. Truman+7,932 | 11,18375.8% | 3,25122.0% | 3202.2% | 14,754 |
| McCreary County | Thomas E. Dewey+2,098 | 93323.5% | 3,03176.2% | 140.4% | 3,978 |
| McLean County | Harry S. Truman+992 | 2,10464.3% | 1,11234.0% | 561.7% | 3,272 |
| Meade County | Harry S. Truman+1,142 | 1,91570.3% | 77328.4% | 371.4% | 2,725 |
| Menifee County | Harry S. Truman+677 | 1,11271.1% | 43527.8% | 171.1% | 1,564 |
| Mercer County | Harry S. Truman+1,083 | 2,68261.5% | 1,59936.6% | 821.9% | 4,363 |
| Metcalfe County | Harry S. Truman+43 | 1,68350.3% | 1,64049.0% | 230.7% | 3,346 |
| Monroe County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,563 | 1,24930.5% | 2,81268.6% | 360.9% | 4,097 |
| Montgomery County | Harry S. Truman+1,648 | 2,73169.0% | 1,08327.3% | 1463.7% | 3,960 |
| Morgan County | Harry S. Truman+2,501 | 3,48877.7% | 98722.0% | 120.3% | 4,487 |
| Muhlenberg County | Harry S. Truman+948 | 4,42655.1% | 3,47843.3% | 1271.6% | 8,031 |
| Nelson County | Harry S. Truman+1,841 | 3,55666.6% | 1,71532.1% | 651.2% | 5,336 |
| Nicholas County | Harry S. Truman+1,070 | 1,88568.7% | 81529.7% | 421.5% | 2,742 |
| Ohio County | Thomas E. Dewey+579 | 2,72144.6% | 3,30054.0% | 851.4% | 6,106 |
| Oldham County | Harry S. Truman+667 | 1,70360.2% | 1,03636.6% | 903.2% | 2,829 |
| Owen County | Harry S. Truman+2,552 | 3,05685.3% | 50414.1% | 230.6% | 3,583 |
| Owsley County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,281 | 43720.2% | 1,71879.5% | 60.3% | 2,161 |
| Pendleton County | Harry S. Truman+585 | 1,95858.0% | 1,37340.7% | 431.3% | 3,374 |
| Perry County | Harry S. Truman+1,859 | 5,61459.4% | 3,75539.7% | 840.9% | 9,453 |
| Pike County | Harry S. Truman+3,326 | 11,42358.2% | 8,09741.2% | 1220.6% | 19,642 |
| Powell County | Harry S. Truman+256 | 97556.9% | 71942.0% | 191.1% | 1,713 |
| Pulaski County | Thomas E. Dewey+3,705 | 3,84433.4% | 7,54965.6% | 1171.0% | 11,510 |
| Robertson County | Harry S. Truman+422 | 86465.8% | 44233.6% | 80.6% | 1,314 |
| Rockcastle County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,927 | 1,30928.7% | 3,23670.9% | 190.4% | 4,564 |
| Rowan County | Harry S. Truman+595 | 2,09757.9% | 1,50241.5% | 230.6% | 3,622 |
| Russell County | Thomas E. Dewey+1,213 | 1,19133.0% | 2,40466.5% | 180.5% | 3,613 |
| Scott County | Harry S. Truman+2,196 | 3,54870.8% | 1,35227.0% | 1142.3% | 5,014 |
| Shelby County | Harry S. Truman+2,214 | 3,84068.3% | 1,62628.9% | 1562.8% | 5,622 |
| Simpson County | Harry S. Truman+1,990 | 2,75276.0% | 76221.1% | 1052.9% | 3,619 |
| Spencer County | Harry S. Truman+805 | 1,29871.6% | 49327.2% | 211.2% | 1,812 |
| Taylor County | Harry S. Truman+328 | 2,41552.7% | 2,08745.6% | 791.7% | 4,581 |
| Todd County | Harry S. Truman+2,102 | 2,92975.1% | 82721.2% | 1443.7% | 3,900 |
| Trigg County | Harry S. Truman+1,669 | 2,48573.5% | 81624.1% | 822.4% | 3,383 |
| Trimble County | Harry S. Truman+1,552 | 1,74688.7% | 1949.9% | 281.4% | 1,968 |
| Union County | Harry S. Truman+2,863 | 3,60781.9% | 74416.9% | 551.2% | 4,406 |
| Warren County | Harry S. Truman+2,849 | 6,76860.5% | 3,91935.0% | 5024.5% | 11,189 |
| Washington County | Harry S. Truman+308 | 2,12153.5% | 1,81345.8% | 280.7% | 3,962 |
| Wayne County | Thomas E. Dewey+451 | 2,02944.6% | 2,48054.5% | 390.9% | 4,548 |
| Webster County | Harry S. Truman+2,201 | 3,28873.7% | 1,08724.4% | 841.9% | 4,459 |
| Whitley County | Thomas E. Dewey+2,679 | 2,93233.9% | 5,61164.8% | 1101.3% | 8,653 |
| Wolfe County | Harry S. Truman+1,105 | 1,91870.2% | 81329.7% | 20.1% | 2,733 |
| Woodford County | Harry S. Truman+946 | 2,17561.2% | 1,22934.6% | 1514.2% | 3,555 |
Nominees: Harry S. Truman (D) · Thomas E. Dewey (R) · Strom Thurmond (States' Rights Democratic)
Kentucky's presidential margins
1892–2024, the 1948 contest in context
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | +11.7% |
| 1896 | −0.1% |
| 1900 | +1.7% |
| 1904 | +2.7% |
| 1908 | +1.7% |
| 1912 | +23.2% |
| 1916 | +5.4% |
| 1920 | +0.4% |
| 1924 | −2.9% |
| 1928 | −18.9% |
| 1932 | +18.9% |
| 1936 | +18.6% |
| 1940 | +15.1% |
| 1944 | +9.2% |
| 1948 | +15.3% |
| 1952 | +0.1% |
| 1956 | −9.1% |
| 1960 | −7.2% |
| 1964 | +28.4% |
| 1968 | −6.1% |
| 1972 | −28.6% |
| 1976 | +7.2% |
| 1980 | −1.5% |
| 1984 | −20.7% |
| 1988 | −11.6% |
| 1992 | +3.2% |
| 1996 | +1.0% |
| 2000 | −15.1% |
| 2004 | −19.9% |
| 2008 | −16.2% |
| 2012 | −22.7% |
| 2016 | −29.8% |
| 2020 | −25.9% |
| 2024 | −30.5% |
Source. Compiled historical county records — 1948 presidential returns · official county-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.