Editing New Madrid County, Missouri

{{short description|County in Missouri, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = New Madrid County
 | state                = Missouri
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1812
 | founded date         = October 1
 | seat wl              = New Madrid
 | largest city wl      = Portageville
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 697
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 675
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 22
 | area percentage      = 3.1
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 16434
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = 
 | named for            = [[Madrid, Spain]]
 | district             = 8th
 | ex image             = New Madrid County Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = New Madrid County Courthouse
}}

'''New Madrid County''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|æ|d|r|ᵻ|d}} {{respell|MAD|rid}}; {{langx|es|Condado de Nueva Madrid
}}; {{langx|fr|Comté de New Madrid}}) is a [[county (United States)|county]] located in the [[Missouri Bootheel|Bootheel]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Missouri]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 16,434.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US29143|title = Explore Census Data}}</ref> The largest city is [[Portageville, Missouri|Portageville]] and [[county seat]] is [[New Madrid, Missouri|New Madrid]], located on the northern side of the [[Kentucky Bend]] in the [[Mississippi River]], where it has formed an [[meander|oxbow]] around an exclave of [[Fulton County, Kentucky]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> This feature has also been known as New Madrid Bend or Madrid Bend, for the city.

The county was officially organized on October 1, 1812, encompassing most of present-day [[Arkansas]]. Named after ''Nuevo Madrid,'' a district located in the region, the area was [[Louisiana (New Spain)|under Spanish rule]] following France's cession of [[Louisiana (New France)|Louisiana]] after being defeated in the [[Seven Years' War]]. The Spanish named the district after [[Madrid]], the capital of [[History of Spain (1700–1808)|Spain]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RfAuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA335 | title=How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri | author=Eaton, David Wolfe | year=1917 | pages=335}}</ref>

The county includes a large part of the [[New Madrid seismic zone|New Madrid fault]] that produced the [[1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes]]. This zone remains geologically active, and had continued to produce smaller earthquakes with some frequency.

==History==
[[French Canadians]] from New France landed in this area in 1781 and established the first European settlement in the present county at [[New Madrid, Missouri|New Madrid]] along the Mississippi River.<ref name="archive">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyofgrundyc00kans/historyofgrundyc00kans_djvu.txt|title=Full text of "The History of Grundy County, Missouri: An Encyclopedia of Useful Information, and a Compendium of Actual Facts. It contains a condensed history of the state of Missouri and its chief cities ... ; its pioneer record, war history, resources, biographical sketches"|year=1881|access-date=February 21, 2014}}</ref> France had ceded this area to Spain following its loss in the Seven Years' War. The Spanish governor, [[Bernardo de Gálvez]], appointed American colonel William Morgan, a [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] veteran from [[New Jersey]], as [[empresario]] to recruit new settlers for the area. Morgan attracted about 2,000 settlers before Spain returned this territory to France in the late 18th century. They settled mostly in the area of what is now the city of [[New Madrid, Missouri]]. After failing to regain control of its colony of [[Saint-Domingue]], where a slave rebellion had been raging, France gave up on North America, selling its large territory west of the Mississippi River in 1803 to the United States under the [[Louisiana Purchase]].

New Madrid County was organized on October 1, 1812, as an act of the [[Missouri General Assembly|First General Assembly]] of the [[Missouri Territory]].<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Missouri Historical Review|author1=Shoemaker, F.C.|author2=State Historical Society of Missouri|year=1917|issue=v. 11|publisher=State Historical Society of Missouri.|issn=0026-6582|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HR0UAAAAYAAJ}}</ref> In the [[floodplain]] of the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]], this area was long cultivated by planters using enslaved African Americans for [[cotton]] production.

A series of more than 1,000 earthquakes struck the area in 1811 and 1812. The New Madrid earthquakes were the strongest non-[[subduction|subduction zone]] earthquake in the [[United States]]. A request dated January 13, 1814, by the [[Missouri Territory|Territorial Governor]] [[William Clark (explorer)|William Clark]], asked for [[Federal government of the United States|federal]] relief for the "inhabitants of New Madrid County."{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}

The county had its peak of population in 1940, according to US census records, as shown in the table. Many residents left the rural county from 1950 to 1970, seeking better work opportunities in the North and Midwest. County population has continued to decline. In 2017 the county was featured in an episode of ''Madrid de sol a sol'', a show from Spanish public channel [[Telemadrid]] exploring locations named "Madrid".<ref>{{cite web|title=Madrid de Sol a Sol: New Madrid, Estados Unidos|url=http://telemadrid.es/programas/madrid-de-sol-a-sol/Madrid-Sol-New-Unidos-2-1928227173--20170807112301.html|website=Telemadrid – Radio Televisión Madrid|date=August 7, 2017|access-date=August 16, 2017}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[Image:Kentucky Bend map.png|thumb|Kentucky Bend and surrounding area
{{legend|#bfffff|[[Missouri]] (MO)|border=thin solid #999933}}
{{legend|#febffe|[[Tennessee]] (TN)|border=thin solid #999933}}
{{legend|#ffffef|[[Kentucky]] (KY)|border=thin solid #999933}}
]]
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|697|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|675|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|22|sqmi}} (3.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 17, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021170230/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt|archive-date=October 21, 2013}}</ref>

The county is located on the [[Kentucky Bend]] of the Mississippi River, which forms a border of the county. This feature is also known as New Madrid Bend or Madrid Bend. This oxbow flows around an exclave of [[Fulton County, Kentucky]]. Scientists expect that eventually the river will cut a new channel across the narrow neck of the peninsula, which will gradually be attached by infill land to Missouri.

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Scott County, Missouri|Scott County]] (north)
*[[Mississippi County, Missouri|Mississippi County]] (northeast)
*[[Fulton County, Kentucky]] (south and east across the Mississippi river)
*[[Lake County, Tennessee]] (south across the river)
*[[Pemiscot County, Missouri|Pemiscot County]] (south)
*[[Dunklin County, Missouri|Dunklin County]] (southwest)
*[[Stoddard County, Missouri|Stoddard County]] (northwest)

===Major highways===
*[[Image:I-55 (MO).svg|20px]] [[Interstate 55 (Missouri)|Interstate 55]]
*[[Image:I-57 (Future).svg|20px]] [[Interstate 57|Future Interstate 57]]
*[[Image:US 60.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 60 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 60]]
*[[Image:US 61.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 61 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 61]]
*[[Image:US 62.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 62 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 62]]
*[[Image:MO-153.svg|20px]] [[Missouri Route 153|Route 153]]
*[[Image:MO-162.svg|20px]] [[Missouri Route 162|Route 162]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 2296
|1830= 2350
|1840= 4554
|1850= 5541
|1860= 5654
|1870= 6357
|1880= 7694
|1890= 9317
|1900= 11280
|1910= 19488
|1920= 25180
|1930= 30262
|1940= 39787
|1950= 39444
|1960= 31350
|1970= 23420
|1980= 22945
|1990= 20928
|2000= 19760
|2010= 18956
|2020= 16434
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2018.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|access-date=November 15, 2019}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 17, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=November 17, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mo190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 17, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 17, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2015<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/29/29143.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 12, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607043241/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/29/29143.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
}}

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 19,760 people, 7,824 households, and 5,508 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|29|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 8,600 housing units at an average density of {{convert|13|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 83.21% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 15.36% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.19% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.14% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.32% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.78% from two or more races. Approximately 0.93% of the population were [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race. Among the major first ancestries reported in New Madrid County were 32.4% American, 10.3% [[Irish people|Irish]], 8.8% [[English people|English]], and 8.7% [[German people|German]] ancestry.

There were 7,824 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.00% were married couples living together, 14.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65&nbsp;years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65&nbsp;years of age or older. The median age was 37&nbsp;years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,758, and the median income for a family was $39,411. Males had a median income of $28,408 versus $19,186 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $17,227. About 18.60% of families and 22.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.40% of those under age 18 and 19.20% of those age 65 or over.

===Religion===
According to the [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] County Membership Report (2000), New Madrid County is a part of the [[Bible Belt]] as evangelical Protestantism is the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in New Madrid County who adhere to a religion are [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptists]] (62.86%), [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]] (8.80%), and [[United Methodist Church|Methodists]] (7.36%).

===2020 Census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+New Madrid County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title =P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – New Madrid County, Missouri|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=New%20Madrid%20County,%20Missouri&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|12,610
|76.73%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|2,731
|16.62%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|25
|0.15%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|62
|0.37%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|1
|0.06%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|752
|4.57%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|253
|1.54%
|}

==Education==
Of adults 25&nbsp;years of age and older in New Madrid County, 63.6% possess a [[High School Diploma (United States)|high school diploma]] or higher while 9.6% hold a [[bachelor's degree]] or higher as their highest educational attainment.

===Public schools===
*Gideon School District 37 - [[Gideon, Missouri|Gideon]]
**Gideon Elementary School (K-6)
**Gideon High School (7-12)
*[[New Madrid County Central]] R-I School District - [[New Madrid, Missouri|New Madrid]]
**Lilbourn Elementary School (PK-5) - [[Lilbourn, Missouri|Lilbourn]]
**Matthews Elementary School (PK-5) - [[Matthews, Missouri|Matthews]]
**New Madrid County Central Elementary School (PK-5)
**New Madrid County Central Middle School (6-08)
**New Madrid County Central High School (9-12)
*Portageville School District - [[Portageville, Missouri|Portageville]]
**Portageville Elementary School (PK-5)
**Portageville Middle School (6-8)
**Portageville High School (9-12)
*Risco R-II School District - [[Risco, Missouri|Risco]]
**Risco Elementary School (K-6)
**Risco High School (7-12)

===Private schools===
*St. Eustachius Elementary School - [[Portageville, Missouri|Portageville]] - (PK-8) - [[Catholic school|Roman Catholic]]
*Immaculate Conception School - [[New Madrid, Missouri|New Madrid]] - (PK-8) - Roman Catholic

===Alternative/vocational schools===
*[[New Madrid Bend]] Youth Center - [[New Madrid, Missouri|New Madrid]] - (6-12) - Alternative
*New Madrid R-I Technical Skills Center - [[New Madrid, Missouri|New Madrid]] - (9-12) - Vocational/Technical

===Public libraries===
*Lilbourn Memorial Library<ref>{{cite web | last = Breeding | first = Marshall | title = Lilbourn Memorial Library | publisher = Libraries.org | url = https://librarytechnology.org/library/20353 | access-date = May 8, 2017}}</ref>  
*New Madrid County Library<ref>{{cite web | last = Breeding | first = Marshall | title = New Madrid County Library | publisher = Libraries.org | url = https://librarytechnology.org/library/20383 | access-date = May 8, 2017}}</ref>

==Communities==
===Cities and Towns===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
*[[Canalou, Missouri|Canalou]]
*[[Catron, Missouri|Catron]]
*[[Gideon, Missouri|Gideon]]
*[[Howardville, Missouri|Howardville]]
*[[Lilbourn, Missouri|Lilbourn]]
*[[Marston, Missouri|Marston]]
*[[Matthews, Missouri|Matthews]]
*[[Morehouse, Missouri|Morehouse]]
*[[New Madrid, Missouri|New Madrid]] (county seat)
*[[North Lilbourn, Missouri|North Lilbourn]]
*[[Parma, Missouri|Parma]]
*[[Portageville, Missouri|Portageville]] (partly in [[Pemiscot County, Missouri|Pemiscot County]])
*[[Risco, Missouri|Risco]]
*[[Sikeston, Missouri|Sikeston]] (mostly in [[Scott County, Missouri|Scott County]])
*[[Tallapoosa, Missouri|Tallapoosa]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated Communities===
{{Div col|colwidth=10em|rules=yes}}
* [[Bayouville, Missouri|Bayouville]]
* [[Big Ridge, Missouri|Big Ridge]]
* [[Boekerton, Missouri|Boekerton]]
* [[Broadwater, Missouri|Broadwater]]
* [[Como, Missouri|Como]]
* [[Conran, Missouri|Conran]]
* [[Dodds, Missouri|Dodds]]
* [[Farrenburg, Missouri|Farrenburg]]
* [[Hartzell, Missouri|Hartzell]]
* [[Hurricane Ridge, Missouri|Hurricane Ridge]]
* [[Kewanee, Missouri|Kewanee]]
* [[La Forge, Missouri|La Forge]]
* Lorwood
* [[Noxall, Missouri|Noxall]]
* [[Point Pleasant, Missouri|Point Pleasant]]
* [[Ristine, Missouri|Ristine]]
{{div col end}}

==Politics==

===Local===
The [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] formerly almost completely controlled politics at the local level in New Madrid County. Democrats and Republicans now almost evenly split all elected positions in the county.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bock/St |first1=Jill |last2=Democrat |first2=ard |title=Filing opens to fill New Madrid County and state offices |url=https://standard-democrat.com/story/2936891.html |website=Sikeston Standard Democrat |language=en |date=March 1, 2022}}</ref>

{{Missouri county elected officials
| name              =New Madrid County, Missouri
| assessor          =Jacob E. Johnson
| assessorparty     =Democratic
| circuitclerk      =Shannon Landers
| circuitclerkparty =Republican
| countyclerk       =Amy Brown
| countyclerkparty  =Republican
| presiding         =Mark Baker
| presidingparty    =Republican
| district1         =Bobby Aycock Jr.
| district1party    =Democratic
| district2         =Michael Kellams
| district2party    =Republican
| collector         =Dewayne Nowlin
| collectorparty    =Republican
| coroner           =George A. DeLisle
| coronerparty      =Democratic
| prosecutor        =Andrew Lawson
| prosecutorparty   =Republican
| administrator     =Paula Scobey
| administratorparty=Democratic
| recorder          =Kim St. Mary Hall
| recorderparty     =Democratic
| sheriff           =Bud Cooper
| sheriffparty      =Republican
| surveyor          =Charles Ice
| surveyorparty     =Democratic
| treasurer         =Steve Riley
| treasurerparty    =Democratic
}}

===State===
New Madrid County is wholly encompassed by the 149th [[Missouri House of Representatives]] district and is currently represented by Republican [[Don Rone Jr.|Don Rone]] of [[Portageville, Missouri|Portageville]].<ref name="149 results">{{cite web |title=Our Campaigns - United States - Missouri - MO State House - MO State House 149 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/ContainerDetail.html?ContainerID=13071 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri House – District 149 – New Madrid County (2020)<ref name="149 results" />}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Don Rone'''
  |votes      = 
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri House – District 149 – New Madrid County (2018)<ref name="149 results" />}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Don Rone'''
  |votes      = '''4,083'''
  |percentage = '''71.57%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = William D. "Bill" Burlison
  |votes      = 1,468
  |percentage = 25.73%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jacqueline T. "Jackie" McGee
  |votes      = 154
  |percentage = 2.70%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

In the [[Missouri Senate]], all of New Madrid County is a part of Missouri's 25th District and is currently represented by Republican [[Jason Bean (politician)|Jason Bean]] of [[Poplar Bluff, Missouri|Poplar Bluff]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Missouri Senate – One Hundred First General Assembly – Missouri Senate |url=https://www.senate.mo.gov/2022-senator-listing-2/}}</ref>

{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 25 – New Madrid County (2020)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason Bean'''
  |votes      = 
  |percentage = '''100.00%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate – District 25 – New Madrid County (2016)<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Campaigns - MO State Senate 25 Race - Nov 08, 2016 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=813922 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Doug Libla'''
  |votes      = '''6,952'''
  |percentage = '''58.65%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = William D. "Bill" Burlison
  |votes      = 3,195
  |percentage = 41.35%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Missouri Senate - District 25 - New Madrid County (2008)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Rob Mayer
  |votes      = 4,217
  |percentage = 54.53
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = M. Shane Stoelting
  |votes      = 3,517
  |percentage = 45.47
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box end}}

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Past Gubernatorial Elections Results<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/ContainerHistory.html?ContainerID=147 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[2024 Missouri gubernatorial election|2024]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''78.32%''' ''5,231''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|19.55% ''1,306''
|align="center" |2.12% ''142''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2020|2020]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''74.39%''' ''5,338''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|24.01% ''1,723''
|align="center" |1.80% ''115''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2016|2016]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''60.29%''' ''4,392''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|37.80% ''2,754''
|align="center" |1.91%  ''139''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2012|2012]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|44.64% ''2,732''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''59.70%''' ''4,270''
|align="center" |1.49% ''120''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2008|2008]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|38.19% ''3,574''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''53.87%''' ''4,313''
|align="center" |2.11% ''151''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004|2004]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|47.57% ''3,737''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''51.38%''' ''4,036''
|align="center" |1.05% ''82''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 2000|2000]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|41.28% ''2,978''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''57.50%''' ''4,148''
|align="center" |1.22% ''88''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1996|1996]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|28.14% ''2,106''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''70.43%''' ''5,270''
|align="center" |1.43% ''107''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1992|1992]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|38.99% ''3,087''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''61.01%''' ''4,830''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1988|1988]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''50.94%''' ''3,594''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|48.89% ''3,449''
|align="center" |0.17% ''12''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1984|1984]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''50.34%''' ''3,979''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|49.66% ''3,926''
|align="center" |0.00% ''0''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1980|1980]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|38.82% ''3,176''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''61.14%''' ''5,002''
|align="center" |0.04% ''3''
|-
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[Missouri gubernatorial election, 1976|1976]]
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|37.75% ''2,951''
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''62.20%''' ''4,863''
|align="center" |0.05% ''4''
|}

===Federal===
New Madrid County is included in [[MO-08|Missouri's 8th Congressional District]] and is currently represented by [[Jason T. Smith]] (R-[[Salem, Missouri|Salem]]) in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]. Smith won a special election on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, to finish out the remaining term of [[U.S. Representative]] [[Jo Ann Emerson]] (R-[[Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]]). Emerson announced her resignation a month after being reelected with over 70 percent of the vote in the district. She resigned to become CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative.
{{Election box begin | title=U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 8th Congressional District – New Madrid County (2020)<ref name="House results">{{cite web |title=Our Campaigns - MO District 08 Race - Nov 03, 2020 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=869903 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason Smith'''
  |votes      = '''5,326'''
  |percentage = '''75.13%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Kathy Ellis
  |votes      = 1,676
  |percentage = 23.64%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Tom Schmitz
  |votes      = 87
  |percentage = 1.23%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri's 8th Congressional District – New Madrid County (2018)<ref name="House results" />}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jason Smith'''
  |votes      = '''4,093'''
  |percentage = '''72.09%'''
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Kathy Ellis
  |votes      = 1,520
  |percentage = 26.77%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan L. Shell
  |votes      = 65
  |percentage = 1.14%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 - Special Election – New Madrid County (2013)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Steve Hodges'''
  |votes      = '''1,008'''
  |percentage = '''51.85'''
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jason T. Smith
  |votes      = 891
  |percentage = 45.83
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Doug Enyart
  |votes      = 25
  |percentage = 1.29
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Bill Slantz
  |votes      = 20
  |percentage = 1.03
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 – New Madrid County (2012)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Jo Ann Emerson'''
  |votes      = '''4,888'''
  |percentage = '''68.30'''
  |change     = +6.53
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jack Rushin
  |votes      = 2,133
  |percentage = 29.80
  |change     = -4.78
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Rick Vandeven
  |votes      = 136
  |percentage = 1.90
  |change     = +0.39
}}
{{Election box end}}

New Madrid County, along with the rest of the state of Missouri, is represented in the [[U.S. Senate]] by [[Josh Hawley]] (R-[[Columbia, Missouri|Columbia]]) and [[Roy Blunt]] (R-[[Strafford, Missouri|Strafford]]).
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate – Class I – New Madrid County (2018)<ref name="Senate results">{{cite web |title=Our Campaigns - United States - Missouri |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/ContainerDetail.html?ContainerID=25 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Josh Hawley'''
  |votes      = '''3,967'''
  |percentage = '''69.09%'''
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Claire McCaskill
  |votes      = 1,663
  |percentage = 28.96%
  |change     = 
  }}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Japheth Campbell
  |votes      = 44
  |percentage = 0.77%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Independent (politician)
  |candidate  = Craig O'Dear
  |votes      = 48
  |percentage = 0.84%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jo Crain
  |votes      = 20
  |percentage = 0.35%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

Blunt was elected to a second term in [[2016 United States Senate elections|2016]] over then-Missouri Secretary of State [[Jason Kander]].
{{Election box begin|title=U.S. Senate - Class III - New Madrid County (2016)<ref name="Senate results"/>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = '''Roy Blunt'''
  |votes      = '''4,157'''
  |percentage = '''57.31%'''
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jason Kander
  |votes      = 2,844
  |percentage = 39.21%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jonathan Dine
  |votes      = 115
  |percentage = 1.59%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Johnathan McFarland
  |votes      = 84
  |percentage = 1.14%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Constitution Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Fred Ryman
  |votes      = 54
  |percentage = 0.74%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

====Political culture====
{{PresHead|place=New Madrid County, Missouri|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 25, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|5,203|1,561|47|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,447|1,748|55|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,270|1,933|154|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,284|2,814|152|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,593|3,370|129|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,154|3,716|37|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|3,416|3,738|112|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,417|4,451|702|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,431|4,883|975|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|3,387|3,812|9|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,323|3,776|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|4,041|4,171|86|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,798|5,319|19|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|4,735|3,500|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|2,317|4,195|2,984|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,583|7,415|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|4,205|7,373|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|3,552|8,419|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|3,809|8,504|16|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|2,082|8,925|11|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|4,108|7,626|18|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|6,318|9,591|24|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|5,056|7,791|25|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,768|7,837|47|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|4,750|4,153|22|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|4,018|4,167|127|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,745|3,637|116|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|2,039|2,715|125|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,607|1,945|967|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,436|1,824|115|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|922|1,257|17|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|668|1,379|5|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|480|1,639|2|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|361|1,215|71|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Democratic|352|1,114|0|Missouri}}

At the presidential level, New Madrid County, lying in the [[Missouri Bootheel]] (one of the regions of Missouri most closely associated with the [[Southern United States|American South]]), was powerfully Democratic from shortly after the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] through 2000; from 1868 through 2000, it voted Republican only in Harding's, Hoover's, Nixon's, and Reagan's national landslides in 1920, 1928, 1972, and 1984, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|title=County winners, 1836-2016|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZmDRzvm83BYurKX7LsrET-C7tcIsE5Em42Wt-gTydXk/edit?usp=embed_facebook|access-date=January 16, 2021|website=Google Docs|language=en-US}}</ref> However, after the county switched from Gore to Bush in 2004, it has become a Republican stronghold, having, as of 2020, voted Republican five elections in a row, with the Republican vote share increasing in every election. In 2020, Trump exceeded three-quarters of the vote in the county.

Voters in New Madrid County generally adhere to socially and culturally [[Conservatism|conservative]] principles but are more moderate or [[Populism|populist]] on economic issues, typical of the [[Dixiecrat]] philosophy. In 2004, Missourians voted on [[Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (2004)|a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman]]. New Madrid County passed it with 83.82 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent support as Missouri became the first state to ban [[same-sex marriage]]. In 2006, Missourians voted on [[Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 (2006)|a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state]]—it failed in New Madrid County with 56.09 percent voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve [[Embryonic stem cell|embryonic stem cell research]].

Despite New Madrid County's longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county support such [[Populism|populist]] causes as increasing the [[minimum wage]]. In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour—it passed New Madrid County with 75.66 percent of the vote. The proposition was strongly in every county in Missouri, with 78.99 percent voting in favor. During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.

===Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)===
{{main|2008 Missouri Democratic presidential primary|2008 Missouri Republican presidential primary}}
In the 2008 presidential primary, voters in New Madrid County from both political parties supported candidates who finished in second place in the state at large and nationally. Former [[U.S. Senator]] [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-[[New York (state)|New York]]) received more votes, a total of 1,801, than any candidate from either party in New Madrid County during the 2008 presidential primary. She also received more votes than the total number of votes cast in the entire Republican Primary in New Madrid County.

==See also==
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in New Madrid County, Missouri]]
*[[New Madrid Floodway Project]]
*[[New Madrid Seismic Zone]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/platbooks.htm Digitized 1930 Plat Book of New Madrid County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816173126/http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/platbooks.htm |date=August 16, 2011 }} from [[University of Missouri]] Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = New Madrid County, Missouri
|North     = [[Scott County, Missouri|Scott County]]
|Northeast = [[Mississippi County, Missouri|Mississippi County]]
|East      = [[Fulton County, Kentucky]]
|Southeast = [[Lake County, Tennessee]]
|South     = [[Pemiscot County, Missouri|Pemiscot County]]
|Southwest = [[Dunklin County, Missouri|Dunklin County]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Stoddard County, Missouri|Stoddard County]]
}}

{{New Madrid County, Missouri}}
{{Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

{{Coord|36.59|-89.66|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MO_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:New Madrid County, Missouri| ]]
[[Category:1812 establishments in Missouri Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1812]]
[[Category:Missouri counties on the Mississippi River]]