Nelson County, Kentucky
AkashicNelson County, KYTrumpR+41.7
2024 precinct map of Nelson CountyPrecinct-level 2024 presidential results for Nelson County, with each precinct boundary colored by Democratic-vs-Republican margin, and gold where an independent or third-party candidate carried the precinct.
How it voted
Share of the 2024 vote
| Donald Trump ✓Republican | 70.2% | 16,052 |
|---|---|---|
| Kamala HarrisDemocratic | 28.5% | 6,515 |
| Robert F Kennedy Jr.Independent | 0.7% | 166 |
Harris +50Trump +50
24 precincts · 22,852 votes. Hover any precinct for its result.
The precinct map shows the 2024 presidential vote; the timeline scrubs the county’s overall result across 1892–2024.
38 presidential elections
| Year | Won | Democratic | Republican | Other | Margin | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 28.5%Harris6,515 | 70.2%Trump16,052 | 0.7%Kennedy166 | 22,852 | ||
| R | 30.9%Biden7,188 | 67.5%Trump15,703 | 1.2%Jorgensen268 | 23,256 | ||
| R | 30.9%Clinton6,434 | 64.6%Trump13,431 | 2.7%Johnson565 | 20,802 | ||
| R | 41.1%Obama7,611 | 57.6%Romney10,673 | 1.3%Johnson249 | 18,533 | ||
| R | 42.2%Obama7,654 | 55.9%McCain10,139 | 1.9%Nader353 | 18,146 | ||
| R | 38.7%Kerry6,524 | 60.3%Bush10,161 | 0.9%Nader159 | 16,844 | ||
| R | 40.6%Gore5,481 | 57.2%Bush7,714 | 1.6%Nader212 | 13,488 | ||
| D | 48.3%Clinton5,392 | 41.6%Dole4,645 | 9.6%Perot1,067 | 11,159 | ||
| D | 46.6%Clinton5,437 | 38.5%Bush4,495 | 14.0%Perot1,638 | 11,672 | ||
| R | 47.0%Dukakis4,788 | 51.9%Bush5,283 | 1.1%Duke108 | 10,179 | ||
| R | 40.7%Mondale4,199 | 58.6%Reagan6,044 | 0.7%Mason76 | 10,319 | ||
| D | 60.5%Carter5,514 | 36.7%Reagan3,349 | 2.8%Anderson251 | 9,114 | ||
| D | 59.4%Carter4,454 | 37.4%Ford2,804 | 3.3%Anderson246 | 7,504 | ||
| R | 43.3%McGovern2,828 | 53.5%Nixon3,495 | 3.1%Schmitz205 | 6,528 | ||
| D | 49.5%Humphrey3,420 | 34.3%Nixon2,373 | 16.2%Wallace1,123 | 6,916 | ||
| D | 76.6%Johnson5,586 | 23.1%Goldwater1,683 | 0.4%Hass27 | 7,296 | ||
| D | 60.9%Kennedy4,713 | 39.1%Nixon3,021 | 0.0% | 7,734 | ||
| R | 44.0%Stevenson3,240 | 55.8%Eisenhower4,107 | 0.2%Andrews18 | 7,365 | ||
| D | 52.6%Stevenson3,417 | 47.2%Eisenhower3,064 | 0.2%Hallinan13 | 6,494 | ||
| D | 66.6%Truman3,556 | 32.1%Dewey1,715 | 1.2%Thurmond65 | 5,336 | ||
| D | 62.8%Roosevelt3,648 | 36.8%Dewey2,136 | 0.5%Thomas27 | 5,811 | ||
| D | 66.5%Roosevelt4,193 | 33.4%Willkie2,109 | 0.1%Thomas8 | 6,310 | ||
| D | 66.6%Roosevelt4,234 | 30.1%Landon1,913 | 3.3%Lemke211 | 6,358 | ||
| D | 71.2%Roosevelt5,272 | 28.4%Hoover2,100 | 0.4%Thomas29 | 7,401 | ||
| D | 57.9%Smith4,031 | 42.0%Hoover2,926 | 0.0%Thomas3 | 6,960 | ||
| D | 64.1%Davis3,863 | 34.6%Coolidge2,082 | 1.3%La Follette79 | 6,024 | ||
| D | 63.0%Cox5,061 | 36.7%Harding2,945 | 0.3%Debs27 | 8,033 | ||
| D | 62.5%Wilson2,639 | 36.6%Hughes1,546 | 0.8%Benson35 | 4,220 | ||
| D | 60.1%Wilson2,275 | 19.8%Taft751 | 20.0%Roosevelt758 | 3,784 | ||
| D | 62.3%Bryan2,452 | 36.5%Taft1,436 | 1.2%Debs47 | 3,935 | ||
| D | 62.0%Parker2,160 | 36.2%Roosevelt1,263 | 1.8%Debs62 | 3,485 | ||
| D | 63.0%Bryan2,438 | 36.4%McKinley1,407 | 0.6%Woolley24 | 3,869 | ||
| D | 59.4%Bryan2,223 | 38.7%McKinley1,446 | 1.9%Palmer71 | 3,740 | ||
| D | 60.8%Cleveland1,858 | 33.5%Harrison1,025 | 5.7%Weaver175 | 3,058 | ||
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presidential history
Presidential margin, 1892–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | +27.2% |
| 1896 | +20.8% |
| 1900 | +26.6% |
| 1904 | +25.7% |
| 1908 | +25.8% |
| 1912 | +40.3% |
| 1916 | +25.9% |
| 1920 | +26.3% |
| 1924 | +29.6% |
| 1928 | +15.9% |
| 1932 | +42.9% |
| 1936 | +36.5% |
| 1940 | +33.0% |
| 1944 | +26.0% |
| 1948 | +34.5% |
| 1952 | +5.4% |
| 1956 | −11.8% |
| 1960 | +21.9% |
| 1964 | +53.5% |
| 1968 | +15.1% |
| 1972 | −10.2% |
| 1976 | +22.0% |
| 1980 | +23.8% |
| 1984 | −17.9% |
| 1988 | −4.9% |
| 1992 | +8.1% |
| 1996 | +6.7% |
| 2000 | −16.6% |
| 2004 | −21.6% |
| 2008 | −13.7% |
| 2012 | −16.5% |
| 2016 | −33.6% |
| 2020 | −36.6% |
| 2024 | −41.7% |
DemocraticRepublican
voter registration
Registered voters
By party of registration, over time
36,497 registered voters · 2024
Source: Kentucky State Board of Elections
Nelson County, home to Bardstown and the heart of Kentucky's bourbon distilling region, has shifted steadily toward lopsided Republican margins over two decades, reflecting a rural realignment that mirrors the state's broader electoral trajectory.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 53.5 points in 1964 and a Republican high of 41.7 points in 2024. Between 2020 and 2024 the county moved 5.1 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 41.7 points.
A population of 47,606, a 89% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $69,562 describe the county. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Meade County and Montgomery County.
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All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Nelson County, Kentucky. Akashic. https://akashic.app/county/21179/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Cities & towns in Nelson County
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Frequently asked questions
How did Nelson County, Kentucky vote in 2024?
In 2024, Nelson County, Kentucky voted Republican by 41.7 points (R+41.7), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 22,852 votes cast, 6,515 went Democratic and 16,052 went Republican.
When did Nelson County, Kentucky last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Nelson County, Kentucky voted Democratic was 1996.
How many people live in Nelson County, Kentucky?
Nelson County, Kentucky has a population of 47,606 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Nelson County, Kentucky?
Median household income in Nelson County, Kentucky is $69,562 — below the national median of $80,734. The Kentucky state median is $63,726.
What is the political history of Nelson County, Kentucky?
Akashic tracks 38 presidential elections in Nelson County, Kentucky from 1876 to 2024. Of those, 23 went Democratic and 11 went Republican.