Riley County, Kansas
Latest: 2024
Competitive — 40 presidential elections on record
Race & ancestry
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 73.6% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(17) | 10.0% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 6.6% |
▶Asian(6) | 4.2% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(4) | 0.5% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 1.1% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(2) | 0.1% |
Multiracial / Other | 4.4% |
Religious adherence
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 14.2% | 36.8% |
| Catholic | 11.3% | 29.2% |
| Mainline Protestant | 9.0% | 23.4% |
| Other | 3.6% | 9.3% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 2.2% | 5.8% |
| Black Protestant | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Non-religious | 61.5% | — |
Presidential results
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Harris+1.8 |
| 2020 | Biden+3.2 |
| 2016 | Trump+3.5 |
| 2012 | Romney+12.0 |
| 2008 | McCain+7.0 |
| 2004 | Bush+22.8 |
| 2000 | Bush+24.6 |
| 1996 | Dole+22.3 |
| 1992 | Bush+2.1 |
Riley, Kansas is a county that has a population of 71,946. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Democratic with a margin of D+1.8. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 49.2% | 47.4% | D+1.8 | R+1.4 |
| 2020 | 49.9% | 46.7% | D+3.2 | D+6.7 |
| 2016 | 42.5% | 46.0% | R+3.5 | D+8.5 |
| 2012 | 42.5% | 54.5% | R+12.0 | R+5.0 |
| 2008 | 45.4% | 52.4% | R+7.0 | D+15.8 |
| 2004 | 37.8% | 60.6% | R+22.8 | D+1.8 |
| 2000 | 33.9% | 58.5% | R+24.6 | R+2.3 |
| 1996 | 34.4% | 56.7% | R+22.3 | R+20.2 |
| 1992 | 36.4% | 38.5% | R+2.1 | D+11.0 |
| 1988 | 42.8% | 55.9% | R+13.1 | D+17.5 |
| 1984 | 34.2% | 64.8% | R+30.6 | R+8.7 |
| 1980 | 31.1% | 52.9% | R+21.9 | R+3.9 |
| 1976 | 39.5% | 57.4% | R+18.0 | D+16.5 |
| 1972 | 31.7% | 66.2% | R+34.4 | R+4.2 |
| 1968 | 31.9% | 62.2% | R+30.3 | R+23.7 |
| 1964 | 46.1% | 52.7% | R+6.6 | D+37.8 |
| 1960 | 27.6% | 72.0% | R+44.3 | D+9.7 |
| 1956 | 22.8% | 76.8% | R+54.0 | D+7.0 |
| 1952 | 19.3% | 80.3% | R+61.0 | R+22.9 |
| 1948 | 29.9% | 68.0% | R+38.1 | — |
What defines Riley?
Riley has been won by both parties in the last 6 presidential elections (2D, 4R) — a genuine swing geography. It has a predominantly white, college-educated electorate that has shifted sharply toward Democrats in the Trump era. Voter engagement runs low — in the bottom 15% of peers for turnout in 2024.
County in State Context
Ask the Historian
Explore this county's political evolution with the Historian
Key Insights
High-confidence patterns distilled from this geography's election history.
- The 2024 election was decided by just 1.8 points — razor-thin
- Won by both parties in recent history — Democrats most recently in 2024, Republicans in 2016
- Turnout of 49.2% in 2024 ranked 96 of 105 in the state — bottom quartile
Located In
Riley sits inside these higher-level geographies.