Smallest county to go for Kerry?

[memphis]

Right now, I'm thinking its Issaquena, MS. Census Bureau says they have less than 2000 people. They also say they've lost 20% of their population since 2000!

[memphis]

San Juan, CO has a population of just 578. That one's going to be hard to beat.

[Tender Branson]

Kennedy County - TX.

Kerry won with 85 votes, to Bush's 82.

[memphis]

Kennedy County - TX.

Kerry won with 85 votes, to Bush's 82.

Yeah, that must be it. Just 402 people in the whole county. Really makes you wonder how a local government can function with so few people.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The smallest county in South Carolina, McCormick went for Kerry, as did the one with the fewest votes cast, Allendale.  If current population trends hold, Allendale will be the smallest county by the 2020 census.  McCormick is gaining slightly while Allendale is losing people.

[memphis]

The county in TN with the fewest votes cast (VanBuran) also went for Kerry. It's also 99.2% white.

[Erc]

Best I can think of off the top of my head is Alpine, CA (less than 700 votes cast)...but Kennedy TX appears to win here by a mile.

[Alcon]

Probably Kalawao County, Hawai'i, although we can't know for sure.

[DWPerry]

Probably Kalawao County, Hawai'i, although we can't know for sure.

There were no votes cast in Kalawao County, Hawai'i (listed as Kalaupapa Settlement) page 173
Certified precinct results can be downloaded here http://www.hawaii.gov/elections/results/2004/general/04genswdetailfinald.pdf

[Alcon]

Actually, I stand corrected.  We can know for certain; Kalawao County voted for Kerry.

The precinct is listed as casting no votes, but that's because it's a phantom polling place (probably put in there just for technical reasons).  Absentee Mail 30 (13:12) BT030 the mail total that consists the Kalawao County precinct (and serves only the county).   In basic terms, it's all vote-by-mail and the Kalaupapa Settlement precinct listed is probably just a placeholder.

In any case, Kerry defeated Bush, receiving 26 votes to Bush's 14.  So Kalawao County is the answer to this.  Unfortunately, the precinct didn't exist in 2000, and I'm not sure how it was handled back then.

While it is not the smallest county in the United States (despite its huge, continual population loss), it is the one that cast the fewest votes - Loving County cast exactly twice as many.

[muon2]

Kennedy County - TX.

Kerry won with 85 votes, to Bush's 82.

Yeah, that must be it. Just 402 people in the whole county. Really makes you wonder how a local government can function with so few people.

Consider all the incorporated rural towns and villages that have 400 or fewer persons. Most of them have local governments that are working fine. In comparison with Kennedy Co, I would expect that the only substantial difference is the extent of the small-population county compared to a town.

[Nym90]

A minor nit: It's actually spelled Kenedy, even though it's pronounced the same as President Kennedy's name.

[Erc]

While it is not the smallest county in the United States (despite its huge, continual population loss), it is the one that cast the fewest votes - Loving County cast exactly twice as many.

Wait a minute...how could there have been 80 votes in Loving County?  Doesn't the county only have 60-odd people in total?

[memphis]

Kennedy County - TX.

Kerry won with 85 votes, to Bush's 82.

Yeah, that must be it. Just 402 people in the whole county. Really makes you wonder how a local government can function with so few people.

Consider all the incorporated rural towns and villages that have 400 or fewer persons. Most of them have local governments that are working fine. In comparison with Kennedy Co, I would expect that the only substantial difference is the extent of the small-population county compared to a town.

I'm sure they know what they're doing, but it's hard to see how a local gov't could run a school, and road maintenance, and a health department, and a police force, and a driver's license center and a million other things when there are only a few hundred people altogether.

[Alcon]

While it is not the smallest county in the United States (despite its huge, continual population loss), it is the one that cast the fewest votes - Loving County cast exactly twice as many.

Wait a minute...how could there have been 80 votes in Loving County?  Doesn't the county only have 60-odd people in total?

The county has a rich history of warring political family factions.  Those factions tend to register voters who may not so much reside in the county.

At least things are better than in 2000, when an impressive 289% of the county's 18+ population voted.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I'm sure they know what they're doing, but it's hard to see how a local gov't could run a school, and road maintenance, and a health department, and a police force, and a driver's license center and a million other things when there are only a few hundred people altogether.

Driver's licenses are usually handled at the State level, not local.  Also in South Carolina at least, road maintenance is largely a State not a local responsibility.  For example, the residential cul-de-sac I live in is officially a State secondary road, so there's no need for local government to handle roads.

[memphis]

I'm sure they know what they're doing, but it's hard to see how a local gov't could run a school, and road maintenance, and a health department, and a police force, and a driver's license center and a million other things when there are only a few hundred people altogether.

Driver's licenses are usually handled at the State level, not local.  Also in South Carolina at least, road maintenance is largely a State not a local responsibility.  For example, the residential cul-de-sac I live in is officially a State secondary road, so there's no need for local government to handle roads.

Even if the state is writing the checks, you still need people on the ground to do the work. Although I'll take your word for it, it seems really odd to me that the state of South Carolina takes care of your street. I guess if it works for your state, that's cool.

[jimrtex]

Kennedy County - TX.
Kerry won with 85 votes, to Bush's 82.

Yeah, that must be it. Just 402 people in the whole county. Really makes you wonder how a local government can function with so few people.

Only one 'n' in Kenedy.  It is named after Mifflin Kenedy who was originally a partner in the King Ranch with Richard King.  The two later split the ranch, and the two ranches comprise a large chunk of the county (and adjacent counties).   The county was formed in 1911, partially because of its distance from Brownsville (about 100 miles from the county seat of Sarita to Brownsville), and party to avoid political domination from farmers in the Rio Grande Valley.

[jimrtex]

While it is not the smallest county in the United States (despite its huge, continual population loss), it is the one that cast the fewest votes - Loving County cast exactly twice as many.

Wait a minute...how could there have been 80 votes in Loving County?  Doesn't the county only have 60-odd people in total?

Because they've been cracking down on vote fraud.  156 voted in 2000.  Residency for censuse purposes isn't necessarily the same as residency for voting purposes, and some people maintain a claim to residency in order to vote in the county, which has some highly-contested local races.

[jimrtex]

Kennedy County - TX.

Kerry won with 85 votes, to Bush's 82.

Yeah, that must be it. Just 402 people in the whole county. Really makes you wonder how a local government can function with so few people.

Consider all the incorporated rural towns and villages that have 400 or fewer persons. Most of them have local governments that are working fine. In comparison with Kennedy Co, I would expect that the only substantial difference is the extent of the small-population county compared to a town.

I'm sure they know what they're doing, but it's hard to see how a local gov't could run a school, and road maintenance, and a health department, and a police force, and a driver's license center and a million other things when there are only a few hundred people altogether.

School districts in Texas are run by school districts.  The school district in Sarita runs an elementary school (K-6) with 83 students in 2005-6.  Middle school and high school are bussed to the next county.

The state maintains US 77.  There aren't any other roads in the county.  If a county is small enough, being county commissioner means you drive the road grader.  If you have a health problem you go to Kingsville, or if severe to Corpus Christi.  With 400 residents you don't have a doctor, so you go to Kingsville for that as well.  Sarita is not incorporated so no need for police.  The sheriff can patrol the the highway.  Driver's licenses are handled by the state.