The long arc of partisan realignment, one county at a time
The county-level political map of the United States has been redrawn multiple
times since Reconstruction. Counties that were reliably Democratic for a century
are now deep red. Suburban counties that anchored Republican coalitions for
decades have turned blue. Understanding these trends requires looking beyond
any single election.
Akashic Edge tracks presidential election results at the county level from 1868
to 2024 — 40 elections across 3,143 counties. This data reveals three major
realignment waves that reshaped American politics.
For nearly a century after Reconstruction, the Deep South was uniformly
Democratic. Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana counties voted
Democratic by margins of 80-90% in election after election. This "Solid South"
was built on white racial solidarity and one-party rule.
The 1964 Civil Rights Act shattered this alignment. Barry Goldwater carried
the Deep South, and counties that had been Democratic since 1868 began their
long march toward the Republican Party. By 2024, these same counties are
among the most reliably Republican in the nation.
The coalfields and hollows of West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and
southwestern Virginia represent the most dramatic county-level realignment
of the 21st century. These counties voted for Bill Clinton by 20-30 points
in 1996. By 2024, many vote Republican by 40-60 points.
The swing is staggering: individual counties shifted 60-80 points in a
single generation. Mingo County, WV went from D+35 in 1996 to R+57 in 2024 —
a 92-point swing.
While rural America shifted right, affluent suburban counties moved left.
Orange County, CA — birthplace of the modern conservative movement — voted
Democratic in 2016 for the first time since 1936. Gwinnett County, GA —
Newt Gingrich's home base — flipped blue in 2020.
This suburban realignment is driven by education polarization: counties with
high college graduation rates have moved steadily Democratic since 2012,
regardless of region.
Every county profile on Akashic Edge includes a full election history timeline
showing how the county has voted in every presidential election since 1868.
See the long arc of realignment for your county.
Want to explore this further?
“Which counties have changed the most from 1996 to 2024?”Search any county at akashicedge.com. Historical
data back to 1868 is available on the Pro tier ($33/mo).