Richmond County leans Republican by roughly 16 points: about 42% of voters vote Democratic and 58% Republican.
About 74% of adults in Richmond County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Richmond County, ~31% vote Democratic, ~43% Republican, and ~26% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Richmond County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Richmond County leans more Republican than 8 of 13 neighbors.
Richmond County runs about 12 points more Republican than North Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Richmond County. The southeast side runs the most Democratic (D+2) and the northwest side runs the most Republican (R+42), a spread of about 44 points.
Why Richmond County leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per county to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Richmond County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 84% of residents in Richmond County drive to work alone, about 11 points above the U.S. average of 74%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and Richmond County sits in the bottom quarter (about 16%, below 83% of counties).
Food insecurity and voter turnout
Places with high food insecurity tend to turn out at a lower rate; Richmond County, NC sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Food insecurity does not directly drive turnout; it reflects economic hardship, which lines up with lower voting.
Why turnout in Richmond County looks the way it does
Turnout in Richmond 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
- Scotland County, NC D+2
- Marlboro County, SC D+9
- Anson County, NC Even
- Moore County, NC R+24
- Montgomery County, NC R+34
- Chesterfield County, SC R+28
- Hoke County, NC D+7
- Stanly County, NC R+47
- Robeson County, NC R+13
- Dillon County, SC R+5
Counties with Similar Populations
- Douglas County, WA R+25
- Levy County, FL R+56
- Pettis County, MO R+43
- Prince George County, VA R+2
- Polk County, GA R+53
- Stephens County, OK R+58
- Sullivan County, NH R+16
- Coffee County, GA R+35
- Jackson County, NC R+18
- Franklin County, TN R+59
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from North Carolina State Board of Elections, 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.