| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 1,093 | 4,231 | 5,421 | |
| 2020 | R | 1,230 | 4,198 | 5,536 | |
| 2016 | R | 1,081 | 3,860 | 5,315 | |
| 2012 | R | 1,670 | 3,141 | 4,938 | |
| 2008 | R | 1,867 | 2,767 | 4,736 | |
| 2004 | R | 1,664 | 3,014 | 4,750 | |
| 2000 | R | 1,465 | 2,891 | 4,646 | |
| 1996 | R | 1,759 | 1,988 | 4,380 | |
| 1992 | R | 1,808 | 2,124 | 5,303 | |
| 1988 | R | 2,428 | 2,906 | 5,396 | |
| 1984 | R | 2,062 | 3,673 | 5,847 | |
| 1980 | R | 1,613 | 4,234 | 6,246 | |
| 1976 | D | 2,815 | 2,729 | 5,665 | |
| 1972 | R | 1,703 | 3,575 | 5,398 | |
| 1968 | R | 2,050 | 2,764 | 5,030 | |
| 1964 | D | 3,339 | 2,204 | 5,547 | |
| 1960 | R | 2,771 | 3,398 | 6,173 | |
| 1956 | R | 2,609 | 3,653 | 6,280 | |
| 1952 | R | 2,295 | 5,184 | 7,555 | |
| 1948 | R | 2,283 | 2,762 | 5,513 | |
| 1944 | R | 2,326 | 2,822 | 5,288 | |
| 1940 | R | 2,666 | 4,113 | 6,972 | |
| 1936 | D | 4,018 | 1,732 | 6,862 | |
| 1932 | D | 4,354 | 1,369 | 5,723 | |
| 1928 | D | 2,855 | 2,730 | 5,746 | |
| 1924 | R | 194 | 1,651 | 4,583 | |
| 1920 | R | 748 | 3,724 | 5,017 | |
| 1916 | D | 1,210 | 1,054 | 2,531 | |
| 1912 | D | 583 | 505 | 1,970 | |
| 1908 | R | 927 | 2,273 | 3,351 | |
| 1904 | R | 219 | 1,928 | 2,180 | |
| 1900 | R | 110 | 587 | 701 | |
| 1896 | R | 79 | 124 | 203 | |
| 1892 | R | 0 | 115 | 183 | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
McLean County's sparse, agriculture-driven population anchors one of the widest Republican presidential margins in a state already dominated by rural red-column voting, with the 2024 gap exceeding 57 points.
The Republican margin in McLean County reached its widest at seventy-eight points in 1904. The margin in 2024 was fifty-eight points, in line with the county's deep historical pattern.
McLean County's loyalty is rooted in its place. Median household income of $83,583, a 89% non-Hispanic-white share, and a population of 9,823 together describe a community whose political habits are deeply settled. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Sherman County and McHenry County.
