Voters at the Sylvan Hills First Baptist Church in Sherwood wait to cast their ballot on Nov. 5, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)
The majority of Arkansas voters elected former President Donald Trump to a second term on Tuesday, but seven of the state’s 75 counties supported Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid and others were a close call.
The complete but unofficial results of the 2024 general election mark the third time Arkansas voters have favored Trump for president. According to the Secretary of State’s office, voters this year went 64%-33% for Trump. That’s a similar ratio to Trump’s state victories in 2016 and 2020.
In interviews with voters from Arkansas’ north, central and Delta regions, Advocate reporters found that the presidential election was a driving force to get people to the polls this year. Voters referenced immigration, reproductive rights and the economy as primary concerns when casting their ballot.
Trump won the support of Arkansas voters by more than 50 percentage points in 40 counties, with Scott County on the western border reporting the highest vote difference of 73 percentage points.
Trump won by a margin of 20-49 percentage points in another 24 counties, according to unofficial data from the secretary of state’s office.
Harris’ seven county victories were by less monumental figures, with the largest difference, 22 percentage points, in Pulaski County, the state’s most populous and progressive county. Other counties where majorities favored Harris: Jefferson, Phillips, Lee, Chicot, Crittenden and St. Francis.
Though unofficial results show that St. Francis County voters went for Harris, they did so with the closest margin in the state: 0.74 percentage points. Harris won by 44 votes, according to state data.
Desha County, which is in the Arkansas Delta and typically trends Democratic, voted 51.59% for Trump this year. Washington, Monroe and Ouachita make up the remaining counties that had smaller margins for a Trump win.
Turnout
Statewide, about 65% of the state’s 1.8 million registered voters hit the polls early or on election day, according to the secretary of state’s office. This is right on par compared to previous presidential elections.
More than half of the state’s 75 counties had a voter turnout that was higher than the statewide percentage. Saline County in Central Arkansas reported the highest turnout percentage with nearly 72% of its registered voters.
Arkansas has historically low voter registration and turnout rates; the state ranked last in both in 2020. Poll workers noted higher turnout during the two-week period of early voting this election.
This year, 34 of the state’s counties reported turnout lower than the statewide percentage. Nevada County, near the southwest corner of the state, reported the lowest percentage with 49.95% of its registered voters casting a ballot.
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