North Carolina — 2008 presidential election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate2008 presidential electionNorth Carolina · PresidentObamaD+0.3
How it voted
Share of the 2008 vote
| Barack Obama ✓Democratic | 49.7% | 2,142,651 |
|---|---|---|
| John McCainRepublican | 49.4% | 2,128,474 |
| OtherAll other candidates | 0.9% | 39,664 |
2008presidential margin
D+60R+60
100 counties, each filled by 2008 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
North Carolina cast 15 electoral votes this cycle.
County-level results (100 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Alamance County, NC | Republican | R+9.2 |
| Alexander County, NC | Republican | R+38.4 |
| Alleghany County, NC | Republican | R+21.0 |
| Anson County, NC | Democratic | D+21.0 |
| Ashe County, NC | Republican | R+23.3 |
| Avery County, NC | Republican | R+44.1 |
| Beaufort County, NC | Republican | R+17.4 |
| Bertie County, NC | Democratic | D+30.6 |
| Bladen County, NC | Democratic | D+2.1 |
| Brunswick County, NC | Republican | R+17.9 |
| Buncombe County, NC | Democratic | D+13.9 |
| Burke County, NC | Republican | R+19.2 |
| Cabarrus County, NC | Republican | R+18.4 |
| Caldwell County, NC | Republican | R+29.7 |
| Camden County, NC | Republican | R+32.0 |
| Carteret County, NC | Republican | R+34.7 |
| Caswell County, NC | Democratic | D+3.1 |
| Catawba County, NC | Republican | R+25.0 |
| Chatham County, NC | Democratic | D+9.7 |
| Cherokee County, NC | Republican | R+38.6 |
| Chowan County, NC | Republican | R+1.1 |
| Clay County, NC | Republican | R+35.6 |
| Cleveland County, NC | Republican | R+19.9 |
| Columbus County, NC | Republican | R+7.9 |
| Craven County, NC | Republican | R+12.4 |
| Cumberland County, NC | Democratic | D+17.7 |
| Currituck County, NC | Republican | R+31.5 |
| Dare County, NC | Republican | R+9.3 |
| Davidson County, NC | Republican | R+33.5 |
| Davie County, NC | Republican | R+38.3 |
| Duplin County, NC | Republican | R+9.4 |
| Durham County, NC | Democratic | D+51.9 |
| Edgecombe County, NC | Democratic | D+34.5 |
| Forsyth County, NC | Democratic | D+10.5 |
| Franklin County, NC | Republican | R+0.7 |
| Gaston County, NC | Republican | R+25.0 |
| Gates County, NC | Democratic | D+5.2 |
| Graham County, NC | Republican | R+37.4 |
| Granville County, NC | Democratic | D+6.6 |
| Greene County, NC | Republican | R+5.9 |
| Guilford County, NC | Democratic | D+18.4 |
| Halifax County, NC | Democratic | D+28.2 |
| Harnett County, NC | Republican | R+16.7 |
| Haywood County, NC | Republican | R+7.8 |
| Henderson County, NC | Republican | R+21.0 |
| Hertford County, NC | Democratic | D+41.5 |
| Hoke County, NC | Democratic | D+18.8 |
| Hyde County, NC | Democratic | D+1.2 |
| Iredell County, NC | Republican | R+24.4 |
| Jackson County, NC | Democratic | D+5.4 |
| Johnston County, NC | Republican | R+23.7 |
| Jones County, NC | Republican | R+8.4 |
| Lee County, NC | Republican | R+8.4 |
| Lenoir County, NC | Republican | R+0.1 |
| Lincoln County, NC | Republican | R+33.3 |
| Macon County, NC | Republican | R+21.4 |
| Madison County, NC | Republican | R+1.6 |
| Martin County, NC | Democratic | D+4.6 |
| McDowell County, NC | Republican | R+27.0 |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | Democratic | D+24.4 |
| Mitchell County, NC | Republican | R+41.6 |
| Montgomery County, NC | Republican | R+11.0 |
| Moore County, NC | Republican | R+21.4 |
| Nash County, NC | Republican | R+1.3 |
| New Hanover County, NC | Republican | R+1.4 |
| Northampton County, NC | Democratic | D+30.4 |
| Onslow County, NC | Republican | R+21.5 |
| Orange County, NC | Democratic | D+44.8 |
| Pamlico County, NC | Republican | R+14.7 |
| Pasquotank County, NC | Democratic | D+13.7 |
| Pender County, NC | Republican | R+15.6 |
| Perquimans County, NC | Republican | R+13.9 |
| Person County, NC | Republican | R+8.5 |
| Pitt County, NC | Democratic | D+8.8 |
| Polk County, NC | Republican | R+15.1 |
| Randolph County, NC | Republican | R+42.3 |
| Richmond County, NC | Democratic | D+1.5 |
| Robeson County, NC | Democratic | D+13.8 |
| Rockingham County, NC | Republican | R+16.0 |
| Rowan County, NC | Republican | R+22.8 |
| Rutherford County, NC | Republican | R+31.8 |
| Sampson County, NC | Republican | R+8.5 |
| Scotland County, NC | Democratic | D+15.1 |
| Stanly County, NC | Republican | R+36.7 |
| Stokes County, NC | Republican | R+35.0 |
| Surry County, NC | Republican | R+28.0 |
| Swain County, NC | Republican | R+1.6 |
| Transylvania County, NC | Republican | R+12.6 |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Republican | R+1.4 |
| Union County, NC | Republican | R+26.6 |
| Vance County, NC | Democratic | D+26.6 |
| Wake County, NC | Democratic | D+14.4 |
| Warren County, NC | Democratic | D+39.5 |
| Washington County, NC | Democratic | D+16.7 |
| Watauga County, NC | Democratic | D+4.3 |
| Wayne County, NC | Republican | R+8.6 |
| Wilkes County, NC | Republican | R+38.2 |
| Wilson County, NC | Democratic | D+6.1 |
| Yadkin County, NC | Republican | R+46.0 |
| Yancey County, NC | Republican | R+5.8 |
North Carolina results by county
100 counties. Third-party and independent votes are reported by the county source as one combined figure; every named candidate is listed in the complete result below.
| Led by | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | John McCain+5,941 | 28,91844.9% | 34,85954.2% | 5760.9% | 64,353 |
| Alexander County | John McCain+6,623 | 5,16729.9% | 11,79068.3% | 2971.7% | 17,254 |
| Alleghany County | John McCain+1,103 | 2,02138.4% | 3,12459.4% | 1182.2% | 5,263 |
| Anson County | Barack Obama+2,249 | 6,45660.2% | 4,20739.2% | 700.7% | 10,733 |
| Ashe County | John McCain+3,044 | 4,87237.3% | 7,91660.6% | 2812.2% | 13,069 |
| Avery County | John McCain+3,503 | 2,17827.4% | 5,68171.5% | 841.1% | 7,943 |
| Beaufort County | John McCain+4,006 | 9,45441.1% | 13,46058.5% | 960.4% | 23,010 |
| Bertie County | Barack Obama+2,989 | 6,36565.2% | 3,37634.6% | 220.2% | 9,763 |
| Bladen County | Barack Obama+321 | 7,85350.7% | 7,53248.7% | 950.6% | 15,480 |
| Brunswick County | John McCain+9,422 | 21,33140.5% | 30,75358.5% | 5241.0% | 52,608 |
| Buncombe County | Barack Obama+17,222 | 69,71656.3% | 52,49442.4% | 1,5851.3% | 123,795 |
| Burke County | John McCain+7,201 | 14,90139.8% | 22,10259.0% | 4401.2% | 37,443 |
| Cabarrus County | John McCain+14,378 | 31,54640.4% | 45,92458.9% | 5240.7% | 77,994 |
| Caldwell County | John McCain+10,445 | 12,08134.4% | 22,52664.1% | 5481.6% | 35,155 |
| Camden County | John McCain+1,543 | 1,59733.1% | 3,14065.1% | 841.7% | 4,821 |
| Carteret County | John McCain+12,001 | 11,13032.2% | 23,13166.9% | 3361.0% | 34,597 |
| Caswell County | Barack Obama+337 | 5,54551.0% | 5,20847.9% | 1091.0% | 10,862 |
| Catawba County | John McCain+17,337 | 25,65636.9% | 42,99361.9% | 8021.2% | 69,451 |
| Chatham County | Barack Obama+3,194 | 17,86254.3% | 14,66844.6% | 3501.1% | 32,880 |
| Cherokee County | John McCain+4,858 | 3,78530.1% | 8,64368.7% | 1581.3% | 12,586 |
| Chowan County | John McCain+85 | 3,68849.1% | 3,77350.2% | 510.7% | 7,512 |
| Clay County | John McCain+1,973 | 1,73431.3% | 3,70766.9% | 1021.8% | 5,543 |
| Cleveland County | John McCain+8,715 | 17,36339.6% | 26,07859.5% | 3940.9% | 43,835 |
| Columbus County | John McCain+1,918 | 11,07645.6% | 12,99453.5% | 2120.9% | 24,282 |
| Craven County | John McCain+5,549 | 19,35243.4% | 24,90155.8% | 3450.8% | 44,598 |
| Cumberland County | Barack Obama+22,542 | 74,69358.5% | 52,15140.9% | 7310.6% | 127,575 |
| Currituck County | John McCain+3,497 | 3,73733.7% | 7,23465.2% | 1311.2% | 11,102 |
| Dare County | John McCain+1,671 | 8,07444.7% | 9,74554.0% | 2291.3% | 18,048 |
| Davidson County | John McCain+22,986 | 22,43332.7% | 45,41966.2% | 7291.1% | 68,581 |
| Davie County | John McCain+7,803 | 6,17830.3% | 13,98168.6% | 2091.0% | 20,368 |
| Duplin County | John McCain+1,876 | 8,95845.0% | 10,83454.4% | 1120.6% | 19,904 |
| Durham County | Barack Obama+71,103 | 103,45675.6% | 32,35323.6% | 1,0880.8% | 136,897 |
| Edgecombe County | Barack Obama+8,958 | 17,40367.1% | 8,44532.6% | 820.3% | 25,930 |
| Forsyth County | Barack Obama+17,411 | 91,08554.8% | 73,67444.3% | 1,3740.8% | 166,133 |
| Franklin County | John McCain+188 | 13,08549.1% | 13,27349.8% | 2811.1% | 26,639 |
| Gaston County | John McCain+21,123 | 31,38437.2% | 52,50762.2% | 5110.6% | 84,402 |
| Gates County | Barack Obama+283 | 2,83052.2% | 2,54747.0% | 430.8% | 5,420 |
| Graham County | John McCain+1,559 | 1,26530.3% | 2,82467.7% | 822.0% | 4,171 |
| Granville County | Barack Obama+1,627 | 13,07452.9% | 11,44746.3% | 2040.8% | 24,725 |
| Greene County | John McCain+476 | 3,79646.8% | 4,27252.7% | 350.4% | 8,103 |
| Guilford County | Barack Obama+44,383 | 142,10158.8% | 97,71840.4% | 1,9520.8% | 241,771 |
| Halifax County | Barack Obama+7,086 | 16,04764.0% | 8,96135.7% | 830.3% | 25,091 |
| Harnett County | John McCain+6,794 | 16,78541.2% | 23,57957.9% | 3410.8% | 40,705 |
| Haywood County | John McCain+2,180 | 12,73045.4% | 14,91053.1% | 4271.5% | 28,067 |
| Henderson County | John McCain+10,848 | 20,08238.9% | 30,93059.9% | 6021.2% | 51,614 |
| Hertford County | Barack Obama+4,424 | 7,51370.5% | 3,08929.0% | 480.5% | 10,650 |
| Hoke County | Barack Obama+2,934 | 9,22759.0% | 6,29340.3% | 1070.7% | 15,627 |
| Hyde County | Barack Obama+29 | 1,24150.3% | 1,21249.1% | 160.6% | 2,469 |
| Iredell County | John McCain+17,830 | 27,31837.3% | 45,14861.7% | 6961.0% | 73,162 |
| Jackson County | Barack Obama+912 | 8,76652.0% | 7,85446.6% | 2461.5% | 16,866 |
| Johnston County | John McCain+16,827 | 26,79537.7% | 43,62261.4% | 6000.8% | 71,017 |
| Jones County | John McCain+439 | 2,37845.5% | 2,81753.9% | 320.6% | 5,227 |
| Lee County | John McCain+1,991 | 10,78445.3% | 12,77553.7% | 2291.0% | 23,788 |
| Lenoir County | John McCain+23 | 13,37849.7% | 13,40149.8% | 1180.4% | 26,897 |
| Lincoln County | John McCain+11,918 | 11,71332.7% | 23,63166.0% | 4541.3% | 35,798 |
| Macon County | John McCain+3,697 | 6,62038.4% | 10,31759.9% | 3011.7% | 17,238 |
| Madison County | John McCain+166 | 5,02648.4% | 5,19250.0% | 1611.6% | 10,379 |
| Martin County | Barack Obama+582 | 6,53952.1% | 5,95747.5% | 450.4% | 12,541 |
| McDowell County | John McCain+4,963 | 6,57135.7% | 11,53462.7% | 2811.5% | 18,386 |
| Mecklenburg County | Barack Obama+100,110 | 253,95861.8% | 153,84837.4% | 3,0110.7% | 410,817 |
| Mitchell County | John McCain+3,261 | 2,23828.5% | 5,49970.1% | 1091.4% | 7,846 |
| Montgomery County | John McCain+1,229 | 4,92643.9% | 6,15554.9% | 1291.2% | 11,210 |
| Moore County | John McCain+9,690 | 17,62438.9% | 27,31460.3% | 3900.9% | 45,328 |
| Nash County | John McCain+629 | 23,09949.0% | 23,72850.4% | 2910.6% | 47,118 |
| New Hanover County | John McCain+1,399 | 49,14548.8% | 50,54450.2% | 9761.0% | 100,665 |
| Northampton County | Barack Obama+3,232 | 6,90365.0% | 3,67134.6% | 440.4% | 10,618 |
| Onslow County | John McCain+10,779 | 19,49938.8% | 30,27860.3% | 4260.8% | 50,203 |
| Orange County | Barack Obama+33,540 | 53,80671.8% | 20,26627.1% | 8381.1% | 74,910 |
| Pamlico County | John McCain+985 | 2,83842.3% | 3,82357.0% | 510.8% | 6,712 |
| Pasquotank County | Barack Obama+2,494 | 10,27256.5% | 7,77842.8% | 1300.7% | 18,180 |
| Pender County | John McCain+3,711 | 9,90741.7% | 13,61857.3% | 2240.9% | 23,749 |
| Perquimans County | John McCain+906 | 2,77242.6% | 3,67856.6% | 510.8% | 6,501 |
| Person County | John McCain+1,584 | 8,44645.3% | 10,03053.8% | 1560.8% | 18,632 |
| Pitt County | Barack Obama+6,574 | 40,50154.1% | 33,92745.3% | 4560.6% | 74,884 |
| Polk County | John McCain+1,594 | 4,39641.6% | 5,99056.7% | 1761.7% | 10,562 |
| Randolph County | John McCain+24,584 | 16,41428.2% | 40,99870.5% | 7351.3% | 58,147 |
| Richmond County | Barack Obama+289 | 9,71350.3% | 9,42448.8% | 1901.0% | 19,327 |
| Robeson County | Barack Obama+5,625 | 23,05856.5% | 17,43342.7% | 3430.8% | 40,834 |
| Rockingham County | John McCain+6,644 | 17,25541.5% | 23,89957.4% | 4581.1% | 41,612 |
| Rowan County | John McCain+14,060 | 23,39138.0% | 37,45160.8% | 7181.2% | 61,560 |
| Rutherford County | John McCain+9,128 | 9,64133.6% | 18,76965.4% | 3101.1% | 28,720 |
| Sampson County | John McCain+2,202 | 11,83645.5% | 14,03853.9% | 1640.6% | 26,038 |
| Scotland County | Barack Obama+2,146 | 8,15157.3% | 6,00542.2% | 610.4% | 14,217 |
| Stanly County | John McCain+10,451 | 8,87831.1% | 19,32967.8% | 2991.0% | 28,506 |
| Stokes County | John McCain+7,613 | 6,87531.6% | 14,48866.6% | 3801.7% | 21,743 |
| Surry County | John McCain+8,255 | 10,47535.5% | 18,73063.4% | 3201.1% | 29,525 |
| Swain County | John McCain+94 | 2,80648.4% | 2,90050.0% | 921.6% | 5,798 |
| Transylvania County | John McCain+2,126 | 7,27543.0% | 9,40155.6% | 2331.4% | 16,909 |
| Tyrrell County | John McCain+27 | 93348.8% | 96050.3% | 170.9% | 1,910 |
| Union County | John McCain+22,934 | 31,18936.2% | 54,12362.9% | 7770.9% | 86,089 |
| Vance County | Barack Obama+5,560 | 13,16663.1% | 7,60636.4% | 990.5% | 20,871 |
| Wake County | Barack Obama+63,890 | 250,89156.7% | 187,00142.3% | 4,3531.0% | 442,245 |
| Warren County | Barack Obama+4,023 | 7,08669.5% | 3,06330.0% | 460.5% | 10,195 |
| Washington County | Barack Obama+1,078 | 3,74858.1% | 2,67041.4% | 360.6% | 6,454 |
| Watauga County | Barack Obama+1,214 | 14,55851.3% | 13,34447.0% | 4701.7% | 28,372 |
| Wayne County | John McCain+4,281 | 22,67145.4% | 26,95254.0% | 2590.5% | 49,882 |
| Wilkes County | John McCain+11,354 | 8,93430.1% | 20,28868.3% | 5021.7% | 29,724 |
| Wilson County | Barack Obama+2,277 | 19,65252.8% | 17,37546.7% | 1640.4% | 37,191 |
| Yadkin County | John McCain+7,882 | 4,52726.4% | 12,40972.4% | 2111.2% | 17,147 |
| Yancey County | John McCain+559 | 4,48646.2% | 5,04551.9% | 1861.9% | 9,717 |
Nominees: Barack Obama (D) · John McCain (R)
North Carolina's presidential margins
1892–2024, the 2008 contest in context
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | +11.6% |
| 1896 | +5.8% |
| 1900 | +8.5% |
| 1904 | +20.1% |
| 1908 | +8.7% |
| 1912 | +47.3% |
| 1916 | +16.4% |
| 1920 | +13.5% |
| 1924 | +19.4% |
| 1928 | −9.9% |
| 1932 | +40.6% |
| 1936 | +46.8% |
| 1940 | +48.1% |
| 1944 | +33.4% |
| 1948 | +25.3% |
| 1952 | +7.8% |
| 1956 | +1.3% |
| 1960 | +4.2% |
| 1964 | +12.3% |
| 1968 | −10.3% |
| 1972 | −40.6% |
| 1976 | +11.0% |
| 1980 | −2.1% |
| 1984 | −24.0% |
| 1988 | −16.3% |
| 1992 | −0.8% |
| 1996 | −4.7% |
| 2000 | −12.8% |
| 2004 | −12.4% |
| 2008 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | −2.0% |
| 2016 | −3.7% |
| 2020 | −1.3% |
| 2024 | −3.2% |
Same ballot, 2008NC
Source. MIT Election Data + Science Lab — 2008 presidential returns · official county-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.