Darlington County leans slightly Republican by roughly 8 points: about 46% of voters vote Democratic and 54% Republican.
About 71% of adults in Darlington County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Darlington County, ~33% vote Democratic, ~39% Republican, and ~28% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Darlington County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Darlington County leans more Republican than 10 of 13 neighbors.
Darlington County runs about 10 points more Democratic than South Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Darlington County. The southeast side runs the most Democratic (D+21) and the northwest side runs the most Republican (R+41), a spread of about 62 points.
Why Darlington County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Darlington County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; Darlington County, SC sits below the national average on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in Darlington County looks the way it does
Turnout in Darlington County sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Lee County, SC D+20
- Florence County, SC Even
- Chesterfield County, SC R+28
- Marlboro County, SC D+9
- Sumter County, SC D+9
- Dillon County, SC R+5
- Kershaw County, SC R+32
- Marion County, SC D+17
- Scotland County, NC D+2
- Richmond County, NC R+15
Counties with Similar Populations
- Hall County, NE R+26
- Garfield County, OK R+43
- Union County, OH R+30
- Knox County, OH R+48
- Laurel County, KY R+63
- Walla Walla County, WA R+7
- Lee County, NC R+18
- Stanly County, NC R+47
- Athens County, OH D+8
- Pope County, AR R+47
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from South Carolina State Election Commission, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.