| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 6,515 | 16,052 | 22,852 | |
| 2020 | R | 7,188 | 15,703 | 23,256 | |
| 2016 | R | 6,434 | 13,431 | 20,802 | |
| 2012 | R | 7,611 | 10,673 | 18,533 | |
| 2008 | R | 7,654 | 10,139 | 18,146 | |
| 2004 | R | 6,524 | 10,161 | 16,844 | |
| 2000 | R | 5,481 | 7,714 | 13,488 | |
| 1996 | D | 5,392 | 4,645 | 11,159 | |
| 1992 | D | 5,437 | 4,495 | 11,672 | |
| 1988 | R | 4,788 | 5,283 | 10,179 | |
| 1984 | R | 4,199 | 6,044 | 10,319 | |
| 1980 | D | 5,514 | 3,349 | 9,114 | |
| 1976 | D | 4,454 | 2,804 | 7,504 | |
| 1972 | R | 2,828 | 3,495 | 6,528 | |
| 1968 | D | 3,420 | 2,373 | 6,916 | |
| 1964 | D | 5,586 | 1,683 | 7,296 | |
| 1960 | D | 4,713 | 3,021 | 7,734 | |
| 1956 | R | 3,240 | 4,107 | 7,365 | |
| 1952 | D | 3,417 | 3,064 | 6,494 | |
| 1948 | D | 3,556 | 1,715 | 5,336 | |
| 1944 | D | 3,648 | 2,136 | 5,811 | |
| 1940 | D | 4,193 | 2,109 | 6,310 | |
| 1936 | D | 4,234 | 1,913 | 6,358 | |
| 1932 | D | 5,272 | 2,100 | 7,401 | |
| 1928 | D | 4,031 | 2,926 | 6,960 | |
| 1924 | D | 3,863 | 2,082 | 6,024 | |
| 1920 | D | 5,061 | 2,945 | 8,033 | |
| 1916 | D | 2,639 | 1,546 | 4,220 | |
| 1912 | D | 2,275 | 751 | 3,784 | |
| 1908 | D | 2,452 | 1,436 | 3,935 | |
| 1904 | D | 2,160 | 1,263 | 3,485 | |
| 1900 | D | 2,438 | 1,407 | 3,869 | |
| 1896 | D | 2,223 | 1,446 | 3,740 | |
| 1892 | D | 1,858 | 1,025 | 3,058 | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
Nelson County, home to Bardstown and the heart of Kentucky's bourbon distilling region, has shifted steadily toward lopsided Republican margins over two decades, reflecting a rural realignment that mirrors the state's broader electoral trajectory.
The unraveling was not abrupt. The Democratic margin in Nelson County peaked at fifty-three points in 1964; it narrowed steadily over the late twentieth century. The 2000 election delivered the county to the Republican party for the first time in many years, by a margin of seventeen points. By 2024, the margin had widened further.
The economic and demographic context is severe. Nelson County's median household income of $69,562 is among the lowest of any county in the United States; 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Meade County and Scotland County.