Clay County, North Carolina
Latest: 2024
Safe Republican — 40 presidential elections on record
Race & ancestry
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(12) | 90.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(9) | 4.1% |
▶Black / African American(2) | 2.2% |
▶Asian(2) | 0.6% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(2) | 0.3% |
Native American / Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Multiracial / Other | 2.5% |
Religious adherence
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 54.9% | 73.6% |
| Mainline Protestant | 11.1% | 14.9% |
| Catholic | 8.6% | 11.5% |
| Non-religious | 25.4% | — |
Presidential results
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Trump+50.0 |
| 2020 | Trump+49.5 |
| 2016 | Trump+51.1 |
| 2012 | Romney+42.4 |
| 2008 | McCain+35.6 |
| 2004 | Bush+32.5 |
| 2000 | Bush+27.4 |
| 1996 | Dole+8.4 |
| 1992 | Bush+7.3 |
Clay, North Carolina is a county that has a population of 11,610. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+50.0. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24.6% | 74.5% | R+50.0 | R+0.5 |
| 2020 | 24.6% | 74.2% | R+49.5 | D+1.6 |
| 2016 | 22.7% | 73.8% | R+51.1 | R+8.6 |
| 2012 | 28.0% | 70.4% | R+42.4 | R+6.8 |
| 2008 | 31.3% | 66.9% | R+35.6 | R+3.1 |
| 2004 | 33.5% | 65.9% | R+32.5 | R+5.1 |
| 2000 | 35.3% | 62.7% | R+27.4 | R+19.0 |
| 1996 | 40.0% | 48.4% | R+8.4 | R+1.1 |
| 1992 | 40.4% | 47.7% | R+7.3 | D+18.1 |
| 1988 | 37.0% | 62.5% | R+25.4 | 0.0 |
| 1984 | 37.0% | 62.4% | R+25.4 | R+2.5 |
| 1980 | 37.3% | 60.2% | R+22.9 | R+27.6 |
| 1976 | 52.1% | 47.4% | D+4.7 | D+36.2 |
| 1972 | 33.6% | 65.2% | R+31.6 | R+10.1 |
| 1968 | 33.5% | 54.9% | R+21.5 | R+27.7 |
| 1964 | 53.1% | 46.9% | D+6.2 | D+19.7 |
| 1960 | 43.3% | 56.7% | R+13.4 | R+7.8 |
| 1956 | 47.2% | 52.8% | R+5.7 | R+5.5 |
| 1952 | 49.9% | 50.1% | R+0.1 | R+3.8 |
| 1948 | 50.8% | 47.1% | D+3.6 | — |
What defines Clay?
Voter turnout stands out nationally — in the top 15% of peers in 2024.
County in State Context
Current North Carolina Polling
Contextual statewide polling for North Carolina. County pages stay rooted in county returns, but live statewide polling helps frame the current cycle.
2026 North Carolina Senate General Election
Roy Cooper leads at 48.8%
4 pollsLow
Field Preview
Ask the Historian
Explore this county's political evolution with the Historian
Key Insights
High-confidence patterns distilled from this geography's election history.
- Has voted Republican in the last 5 presidential elections
- Latest election (2024) was a Republican landslide with a 50.0% margin
- Turnout of 80.2% in 2024 ranked 6 of 100 in the state — top quartile
Located In
Clay sits inside these higher-level geographies.