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
Office (updates table and map)
President margin by year
Place winner margin
Boundary by 2024 margin · Precinct returns · VEST · MIT Election Lab
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
- 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
Midterm durability
Total general-election participants divided by same-year citizen voting-age population. These are total ballots or participating voters—not presidential candidate votes.
- 2024 total turnout
- 65.2%19,171 participants ÷ 29,402 CVAP
- 2020→2022 drop-off
- +21.3 ptsPresidential-dependent
- Drop-off versus state
- +0.3 ptsPositive means a larger decline than the statewide pattern
- Mechanical 2026 scenario
- 43.9%–48.3%Recent-cycle and two-cycle persistence scenarios; not a forecast
| Election | Participants | CVAP | Turnout | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 · Presidential | 19,271 | 30,599 | 63.0% | A/A |
| 2018 · Midterm | 15,251 | 30,194 | 50.5% | A/A |
| 2020 · Presidential | 20,082 | 29,887 | 67.2% | A/A |
| 2022 · Midterm | 13,585 | 29,590 | 45.9% | A/A |
| 2024 · Presidential | 19,171 | 29,402 | 65.2% | A/A |
Sources and methods
- 2016: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 293/111.
- 2018: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 297/138.
- 2020: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 301/2.
- 2022: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 306/183.
- 2024: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 311/228.
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
Presidential margin, 1892–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | +14.6% |
| 1896 | −9.4% |
| 1900 | −4.8% |
| 1904 | −17.5% |
| 1908 | −2.1% |
| 1912 | +12.8% |
| 1916 | −3.7% |
| 1920 | −37.2% |
| 1924 | −36.3% |
| 1928 | −30.5% |
| 1932 | +24.3% |
| 1936 | +1.6% |
| 1940 | −25.0% |
| 1944 | −11.3% |
| 1948 | +7.0% |
| 1952 | −16.7% |
| 1956 | −11.9% |
| 1960 | −3.9% |
| 1964 | +40.8% |
| 1968 | +8.6% |
| 1972 | −7.0% |
| 1976 | +10.9% |
| 1980 | +4.0% |
| 1984 | +7.7% |
| 1988 | +20.3% |
| 1992 | +23.3% |
| 1996 | +26.8% |
| 2000 | +20.5% |
| 2004 | +20.3% |
| 2008 | +23.0% |
| 2012 | +18.4% |
| 2016 | −6.8% |
| 2020 | −8.5% |
| 2024 | −15.0% |
DemocraticRepublican
Federal and statewide elections · 3 House · 37 Senate · 2 Senate special · 12 governor
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.
U.S. Senate
Each row shows U.S. Senate votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
U.S. Senate special elections
Each row shows U.S. Senate special votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
Governor
Each row shows Governor 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.
License: CC BY 4.0
Embed this page
A live widget for your site — no API key, attribution built in, CC BY 4.0. All widgets & sizes →
Cities & towns in Des Moines County
Iowa at the ballot boxAll elections →
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.