Alton, Illinois
Presidential margin, 2004–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 2004 | +30.8% |
| 2008 | +35.6% |
| 2012 | +31.6% |
| 2016 | +14.6% |
| 2020 | +16.5% |
| 2024 | +14.4% |
| Year | Won | Democratic | Republican | Other | Margin | Swing | vs U.S. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 56.0%Harris5,814 | 41.5%Trump4,314 | 2.5% | D+14.4 | R+2.1 | D+15.9 | 10,387 | |
| D | 57.0%Biden6,446 | 40.5%Trump4,581 | 2.4% | D+16.5 | D+2.0 | D+12.1 | 11,301 | |
| D | 54.0%Clinton6,087 | 39.4%Trump4,446 | 6.6% | D+14.6 | R+17.0 | D+12.5 | 11,278 | |
| D | 64.4%Obama7,519 | 32.8%Romney3,832 | 2.7% | D+31.6 | R+4.0 | D+27.7 | 11,670 | |
| D | 66.9%Obama8,202 | 31.3%McCain3,836 | 1.8% | D+35.6 | D+4.8 | D+28.3 | 12,259 | |
| D | 65.1%Kerry7,530 | 34.3%Bush3,965 | 0.5% | D+30.8 | — | D+33.3 | 11,558 |
Alton sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, a former industrial hub whose shrinking manufacturing workforce has driven steady population decline since the mid-20th century, shifting the composition of its traditionally Democratic electorate.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 35.6 points in 2008. Between 2020 and 2024 the city moved 2.1 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 14.4 points.
A population of 25,279, a 66% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $54,568 describe the city. The city's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Sandusky and Canton.
The cities whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
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.
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Alton, Illinois. Akashic. https://akashic.app/city/1701114/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.