akashic
1876–2024
Calhoun County, South Carolina
Calhoun County·South Carolina

Calhoun County votes the way the country votes.

A small Midlands county where majority-Black precincts shape close local races

18762024·38 elections
Calhoun County, South Carolina · Bill Fitzpatrick · Wikimedia Commons
Latest
R+14
in 2024
Archetype
Bellwether
since the recent cycles
Population
14,182
2024 ACS
Most similar
Chickasaw County
MS · similarity 0.93
12 precincts · 7,914 votes cast
Trump · R+14
Margin
Turnout
Harris +50
Trump +50
Real precinct boundaries. Hover for vote totals.
YearWonMarginDemocraticRepublicanTotal
2024R
−14.3%
3,3394,4747,914
2020R
−4.8%
3,9054,3058,291
2016R
−2.8%
3,5733,7877,549
2012D
+4.3%
4,0453,7077,834
2008D
+3.6%
3,9703,6957,738
2004R
−0.8%
3,3933,4486,919
2000R
−2.4%
3,0633,2166,373
1996D
+3.5%
2,7162,5205,598
1992D
+6.1%
2,7702,4185,778
1988R
−8.6%
2,1752,5854,787
1984R
−8.4%
2,3152,7425,094
1980D
+7.2%
2,0431,7673,853
1976D
+19.4%
2,0551,3823,466
1972R
−23.5%
1,1481,8673,065
1968D
+10.8%
1,2168853,079
1964R
−44.4%
6121,5912,203
1960R
−22.8%
5368521,388
1956D
+16.5%
3411461,180
1952R
−48.5%
3841,1071,491
1948D
+3.6%
364881
1944D
+87.6%
6021686
1940D
+99.1%
6573660
1936D
+99.9%
8210822
1932D
+98.6%
6940704
1928D
+97.6%
5777584
1924D
+98.2%
5935599
1920D
+87.8%
63141672
1916D
+84.0%
66541743
1912D
+93.7%
4600491
1908D
+84.8%
66954725
1904
No data
1900
No data
1896
No data
1892
No data
1888
No data
1884
No data
1880
No data
1876
No data
Demographics
Race, ethnicity, and ancestry
Click any group to see the ancestries typically reported within it.
American
100.0%
Polish
1.2%
African American
31.2%
Multiple ancestry combinations reported; no single grouping above 1%.
Sample size too small to break out by ancestry reliably.
American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander combined.
Source · American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2024 release. Ancestry is a self-reported, multiple-response item; ancestry percentages do not sum to the parent race percentage.
Language at home
Population aged 5 and older
0.0%
speak English only
Source · ACS 5-year estimates, 2024.
Religious adherents
Adherents per capita by tradition
Methodist
20.7%
Other Christian
7.5%
Baptist
4.7%
Mainline Protestant
3.9%
Pentecostal & Holiness
1.0%
Non-Christian
0.7%
Source · 2020 US Religion Census. Remaining 61.5% of residents not counted as adherents by any reporting body.

Calhoun County's population is roughly half Black, creating a demographic split that makes local and legislative contests more competitive than its R+14 presidential margin suggests.

The Democratic margin in Calhoun County has rarely exceeded 100 points in modern history; the Republican margin has rarely exceeded forty-eight points. 2024 delivered the county to the Republican candidate by fourteen points.

Calhoun County's demographics resemble the country more than they resemble most counties. A 55% non-Hispanic-white share, a 13% poverty rate, and a median household income of $58,682 — all within the broad national range. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Chickasaw County and Hidalgo County.