Sampson County leans Republican by roughly 26 points: about 37% of voters vote Democratic and 63% Republican.
About 68% of adults in Sampson County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Sampson County, ~25% vote Democratic, ~43% Republican, and ~32% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Sampson County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Sampson County is the most Republican-leaning.
Sampson County runs about 23 points more Republican than North Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Sampson County. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+54) and the east side is the least Republican-leaning (R+5), a spread of about 48 points.
Why Sampson 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 Sampson County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 82% of residents in Sampson County drive to work alone, about 8 points above the U.S. average of 74%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and Sampson County sits in the bottom quarter (about 16%, below 80% of counties).
Park access and Republican lean
Places with low park coverage tend to lean Republican; Sampson County, NC sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in Sampson County looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Sampson County is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Duplin County, NC R+23
- Cumberland County, NC D+20
- Bladen County, NC R+17
- Wayne County, NC R+7
- Harnett County, NC R+21
- Johnston County, NC R+21
- Hoke County, NC D+7
- Lenoir County, NC Even
- Robeson County, NC R+13
- Greene County, NC R+15
Counties with Similar Populations
- Blount County, AL R+79
- Sandusky County, OH R+33
- Russell County, AL D+6
- Lowndes County, MS Even
- Lyon County, NV R+42
- Autauga County, AL R+41
- Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK R+27
- Pike County, KY R+63
- Newton County, MO R+54
- Carson City, NV R+11
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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.