| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 5,240 | 5,882 | 11,319 | |
| 2020 | R | 4,961 | 5,507 | 10,717 | |
| 2016 | R | 3,764 | 4,801 | 9,204 | |
| 2012 | R | 3,840 | 4,790 | 8,791 | |
| 2008 | R | 3,906 | 4,815 | 8,860 | |
| 2004 | R | 2,792 | 5,092 | 7,963 | |
| 2000 | R | 2,737 | 4,084 | 7,102 | |
| 1996 | R | 2,398 | 3,466 | 6,576 | |
| 1992 | R | 2,302 | 3,758 | 7,149 | |
| 1988 | R | 2,038 | 4,672 | 6,799 | |
| 1984 | R | 1,579 | 4,465 | 6,079 | |
| 1980 | R | 1,926 | 3,697 | 5,978 | |
| 1976 | R | 2,209 | 3,528 | 5,915 | |
| 1972 | R | 1,061 | 4,163 | 5,354 | |
| 1968 | R | 1,446 | 3,301 | 5,378 | |
| 1964 | D | 2,369 | 2,107 | 4,531 | |
| 1960 | R | 1,047 | 2,444 | 3,513 | |
| 1956 | R | 748 | 2,049 | 2,886 | |
| 1952 | R | 730 | 1,680 | 2,413 | |
| 1948 | D | 839 | 833 | 1,794 | |
| 1944 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1936 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1932 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1928 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1924 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1916 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1912 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1908 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1904 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1896 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1892 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
Waynesboro sits at the eastern foot of the Blue Ridge near Augusta County but votes measurably more competitively than its surrounding rural neighbors, reflecting modest urban density and a manufacturing-to-service economic transition.
The county's recent history is a story of close margins. The Democratic margin reached six points in 1964; the Republican margin reached fifty-eight points in 1972. Most other elections have been decided by single-digit points.
Waynesboro city's demographics — a population of 22,841, a 74% non-Hispanic-white share, a median household income of $59,994 — situate the county close to national averages on several dimensions. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Spotsylvania County and Talbot County.