| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 19,548 | 43,633 | 63,543 | |
| 2020 | R | 20,444 | 41,227 | 62,139 | |
| 2016 | R | 17,946 | 34,590 | 54,099 | |
| 2012 | R | 21,971 | 26,018 | 48,649 | |
| 2008 | R | 25,866 | 26,081 | 52,560 | |
| 2004 | D | 29,120 | 25,045 | 54,707 | |
| 2000 | D | 28,152 | 20,013 | 49,532 | |
| 1996 | D | 26,359 | 14,019 | 46,532 | |
| 1992 | D | 30,577 | 12,820 | 53,861 | |
| 1988 | D | 33,098 | 16,915 | 50,349 | |
| 1984 | D | 35,098 | 21,314 | 56,547 | |
| 1980 | D | 27,963 | 19,252 | 49,383 | |
| 1976 | D | 32,232 | 20,021 | 53,244 | |
| 1972 | R | 22,475 | 27,288 | 50,479 | |
| 1968 | D | 34,340 | 18,921 | 59,450 | |
| 1964 | D | 45,155 | 16,127 | 61,558 | |
| 1960 | D | 41,560 | 27,120 | 68,861 | |
| 1956 | D | 38,312 | 27,857 | 66,375 | |
| 1952 | D | 43,921 | 27,348 | 71,745 | |
| 1948 | D | 34,971 | 20,401 | 56,367 | |
| 1944 | D | 35,093 | 21,945 | 57,489 | |
| 1940 | D | 41,960 | 23,908 | 66,114 | |
| 1936 | D | 48,291 | 21,984 | 71,144 | |
| 1932 | D | 27,662 | 15,903 | 45,156 | |
| 1928 | R | 19,063 | 27,693 | 47,183 | |
| 1924 | R | 8,855 | 19,064 | 35,587 | |
| 1920 | R | 13,358 | 20,186 | 35,611 | |
| 1916 | D | 10,416 | 9,838 | 21,529 | |
| 1912 | D | 7,363 | 4,168 | 18,892 | |
| 1908 | R | 8,220 | 10,012 | 19,921 | |
| 1904 | R | 6,792 | 11,486 | 20,071 | |
| 1900 | R | 7,650 | 9,637 | 17,999 | |
| 1896 | R | 8,349 | 9,268 | 18,055 | |
| 1892 | D | 7,508 | 6,859 | 14,856 | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
Fayette County's coalfield heritage shaped decades of Democratic dominance, but a long decline in mining employment has coincided with a dramatic partisan realignment — the 2024 presidential margin reached R+38, one of the widest swings in the state.
The 2008 election was the turning point, when the Republican candidate carried the county by zero points. The 2024 margin was thirty-eight points, in line with the county's new direction.
The demographics suggest why. A population of 125,997, a 90% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $58,236 situate the county in the broader realignment patterns of recent cycles. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Fayette County and McDowell County.
