| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 62,325 | 141,719 | 205,954 | |
| 2020 | R | 59,180 | 118,821 | 179,744 | |
| 2016 | R | 39,410 | 89,288 | 132,920 | |
| 2012 | R | 38,885 | 72,127 | 112,393 | |
| 2008 | R | 38,879 | 64,609 | 104,798 | |
| 2004 | R | 29,547 | 50,447 | 81,347 | |
| 2000 | R | 29,113 | 40,300 | 71,265 | |
| 1996 | R | 23,722 | 26,159 | 54,653 | |
| 1992 | R | 18,896 | 23,489 | 51,204 | |
| 1988 | R | 13,316 | 24,843 | 38,409 | |
| 1984 | R | 8,940 | 20,396 | 29,463 | |
| 1980 | R | 13,888 | 14,323 | 28,864 | |
| 1976 | D | 15,720 | 9,339 | 25,117 | |
| 1972 | R | 4,437 | 15,324 | 19,944 | |
| 1968 | D | 3,924 | 3,924 | 14,549 | |
| 1964 | R | 5,444 | 8,293 | 13,737 | |
| 1960 | D | 6,006 | 3,768 | 9,774 | |
| 1956 | D | 4,835 | 1,092 | 8,171 | |
| 1952 | D | 4,489 | 3,716 | 8,205 | |
| 1948 | D | 503 | 113 | 3,961 | |
| 1944 | D | 2,403 | 137 | 2,728 | |
| 1940 | D | 2,111 | 164 | 2,275 | |
| 1936 | D | 2,927 | 0 | 2,927 | |
| 1932 | D | 3,224 | 0 | 3,253 | |
| 1928 | D | 1,224 | 27 | 1,251 | |
| 1924 | D | 1,346 | 1 | 1,350 | |
| 1920 | D | 1,709 | 49 | 1,758 | |
| 1916 | D | 1,638 | 0 | 1,645 | |
| 1912 | D | 863 | 0 | 883 | |
| 1908 | D | 1,247 | 56 | 1,303 | |
| 1904 | D | 980 | 40 | 1,020 | |
| 1900 | D | 1,330 | 79 | 1,409 | |
| 1896 | D | 1,372 | 196 | 1,568 | |
| 1892 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
Horry County's tourism-driven economy has drawn steady in-migration for two decades, swelling its population while its presidential margins have remained among the widest in the state, hitting R+38.5 in 2024.
The unraveling was not abrupt. The Democratic margin in Horry County peaked at 100 points in 1936; it narrowed steadily over the late twentieth century. The 1980 election delivered the county to the Republican party for the first time in many years, by a margin of two points. By 2024, the margin had settled into deep Republican territory.
The economic and demographic context is severe. Horry County's median household income of $66,880 is among the lowest of any county in the United States; 13% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Bristol city and Miami County.
