Common County Names that Mostly vote democratic?

[iceman]

Are there any common county names in the US that usually vote for democratic candidates?

Like for example most Monroe counties vote for GOP last 2016, except for Monroe, PA and Monroe, NY.... is there anything on the DEM side?

[lfromnj]

Lake county
In 2008 all lake counties voted d I think?

[iceman]

Lake county
In 2008 all lake counties voted d I think?

Lake county in Tennessee and Oregon didn't

but it's a good candidate for the most.

[Tintrlvr]

There are only two Santa Cruz Counties (CA and AZ), but they both vote (strongly) Democratic. Same for San Miguel County (NM and CO). I couldn't find any county names used more than twice nationwide where all of those counties voted Democratic in 2016 on a short sweep.

Three of the four Middlesex Counties (MA, CT and NJ vs. VA) voted for Clinton in 2016, which was the best ratio I found for counties used more than twice nationwide (I don't think there were any other 3-1 splits).

There are eight Orange Counties, which split 4-4 Clinton-Trump (CA, FL, NC and VT for Clinton vs. NY, IN, VA and TX for Trump). That's the best performance I could find for any county name used more than four times nationwide in 2016. Had the same split in 2012 and 2008, too, just swapping CA and NY, though there were better performers those years.

Historically, all three Erie Counties (NY, PA and OH) were pretty solidly Democratic, e.g. in 2008 and 2012. But the OH and PA counties voted for Trump in 2016. In 2008 and 2012, all five Essex Counties (MA, VT, NJ, NY and VA) voted for Obama, but the VT, NY and VA counties flipped to Trump in 2016. There are probably other large groups in the Obama years, too.

[iceman]

On the other hand, all Carroll counties (AR, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, MD, MS, MO, NH, OH, TN, VA) voted for Trump in 2016.

I can't find any county name that could beat that.

[iceman]

FWIW, Hillary Clinton all lost counties named Clinton to Sanders in the 2016 DEM primaries except for Clinton county, KY.

[lfromnj]

There are only two Santa Cruz Counties (CA and AZ), but they both vote (strongly) Democratic. Same for San Miguel County (NM and CO). I couldn't find any county names used more than twice nationwide where all of those counties voted Democratic in 2016 on a short sweep.

Three of the four Middlesex Counties (MA, CT and NJ vs. VA) voted for Clinton in 2016, which was the best ratio I found for counties used more than twice nationwide (I don't think there were any other 3-1 splits).

There are eight Orange Counties, which split 4-4 Clinton-Trump (CA, FL, NC and VT for Clinton vs. NY, IN, VA and TX for Trump). That's the best performance I could find for any county name used more than four times nationwide in 2016. Had the same split in 2012 and 2008, too, just swapping CA and NY, though there were better performers those years.

Historically, all three Erie Counties (NY, PA and OH) were pretty solidly Democratic, e.g. in 2008 and 2012. But the OH and PA counties voted for Trump in 2016. In 2008 and 2012, all five Essex Counties (MA, VT, NJ, NY and VA) voted for Obama, but the VT, NY and VA counties flipped to Trump in 2016. There are probably other large groups in the Obama years, too.

Checking Lake RN
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_County
IL-D
IN-D
MI-R but D 2012 and 08(actually not on the lake itself lol)
MN-D but very close to R but has been D since 1932
Oh- R decently R+15 Trump but was close in 2012 and 2008.
CA-D close in 2016 but Safe in 2012.
CO-D
FL-R Strongly
MT- D in 2008 but R in 2012 and 2016
Or-Titanium R
SD-D 2008 but R 2012 and 2016
Lake TN- R since 08 but was D in 2004
So not as good but is a 5:7 ratio and only 2 havent voted D in the 21st century.

[Tintrlvr]

It looks like exactly half (13/26) of the Jefferson Counties voted Democratic in 2008, which would probably be the largest number of counties of one name voting for Obama in 2008 I think. At a glance, I see AL, AR, CO, GA, IA, KY, MS, MO, OH, TX, WA, WV and WI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County

[Del Tachi]

5/5 Essex Counties (MA, NJ, NY, VT, VA) voted for Obama.  Only 2/5 (MA, NJ) for Clinton though.

 

It looks like exactly half (13/26) of the Jefferson Counties voted Democratic in 2008, which would probably be the largest number of counties of one name voting for Obama in 2008 I think. At a glance, I see AL, AR, CO, GA, IA, KY, MS, MO, OH, TX, WA, WV and WI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County

I was coming here to say Jefferson.  This is probably due to Thomas Jefferson being an extremely popular namesake during the Jacksonian period, when a lot of rural Southern counties were being incorporated simultaneously with the cotton boom (which made most of these counties majority Black, even today).

Speaking of early Democrats...there are 24 Jackson Counties, only two of which (AR and IL) voted for Clinton in 2016.  Only 1/12 Polk Counties votes for Clinton (IA).'

I suspect this trend (common county names being more GOP) has to do with how commonly replicated names (i.e., English surnames) were more likely to be used for counties incorporated during the American Frontier period; most of these counties have been rural throughout the entirety of their existence, whereas earlier-settled coastal counties are more likely to have unique, Colonial or foreign-influenced names.

More generally, I wonder about the partisan breakdown of U.S. counties based on county name etymology (i.e., Native American, Spanish, French, etc.).  Native American county names should be pretty close to average maybe?

[lfromnj]

5/5 Essex Counties (MA, NJ, NY, VT, VA) voted for Obama.  Only 2/5 (MA, NJ) for Clinton though.

 

It looks like exactly half (13/26) of the Jefferson Counties voted Democratic in 2008, which would probably be the largest number of counties of one name voting for Obama in 2008 I think. At a glance, I see AL, AR, CO, GA, IA, KY, MS, MO, OH, TX, WA, WV and WI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County

I was coming here to say Jefferson.  This is probably due to Thomas Jefferson being an extremely popular namesake during the Jacksonian period, when a lot of rural Southern counties were being incorporated simultaneously with the cotton boom (which made most of these counties majority Black, even today).

Speaking of early Democrats...there are 24 Jackson Counties, only two of which (AR and IL) voted for Clinton in 2016.  Only 1/12 Polk Counties votes for Clinton (IA).'

I suspect this trend (common county names being more GOP) has to do with how commonly replicated names (i.e., English surnames) were more likely to be used for counties incorporated during the American Frontier period; most of these counties have been rural throughout the entirety of their existence, whereas earlier-settled coastal counties are more likely to have unique, Colonial or foreign-influenced names.

More generally, I wonder about the partisan breakdown of U.S. counties based on county name etymology (i.e., Native American, Spanish, French, etc.).  Native American county names should be pretty close to average maybe?

Do you mean Missouri jackson county?(kansas city)
Arkansas voted 60% for Trump.

[RI]

Among county names with at least 10+ instances, five were 100% Trump: Carroll (most frequent), Crawford, Lawrence, Logan, and Morgan. None were 100% Clinton. The most frequent 100% Clinton names had only three instances: Summit and St. Louis.

Among county names with at least 10+ instances, the highest average Trump share was Logan at 76.5%. The highest average Clinton share was Lake at 40.6%.

Among county names with at least 5+ instances, the highest average Trump share was Carter at 79.2%. The highest average Clinton share was Richmond at 52.9%.

[GMantis]

FWIW, Hillary Clinton all lost counties named Clinton to Sanders in the 2016 DEM primaries except for Clinton county, KY.

And she also won just one (in NY and barely so) in the general election.

[jimrtex]

On the other hand, all Carroll counties (AR, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, MD, MS, MO, NH, OH, TN, VA) voted for Trump in 2016.

I can't find any county name that could beat that.

All but the county in TN are named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was 38 in 1776, and died at 95 in 1837.

East Carroll and West Carroll parishes in Louisiana are also named for Carroll. Trump would have carried the combined parish easily.

There may actually be a systematic bias to the time of creation such that the counties have remained largely rural.