Sussex County is a true toss-up. About 51% of voters here vote Democratic and 49% Republican.
About 62% of adults in Sussex County typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Sussex County, ~32% vote Democratic, ~30% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Sussex County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Sussex County sits roughly in the middle of the political spectrum, with 12 neighbors leaning further in the place's direction and 20 leaning the other way.
Sussex County runs about 4 points more Republican than Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Sussex County. The northeast side runs the most Democratic (D+24) and the southeast side runs the most Republican (R+32), a spread of about 56 points.
Why Sussex County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Sussex County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Food insecurity and voter turnout
Places with high food insecurity tend to turn out at a lower rate; Sussex County, VA 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 Sussex County looks the way it does
Areas with high food insecurity turn out at lower rates. About 22% of adults in Sussex County report food insecurity, about 6 points above the U.S. average of 16%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 84% of adults in Sussex County have completed high school, below 84% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Prince George County, VA R+2
- Petersburg City, VA D+71
- Southampton County, VA R+22
- Surry County, VA D+2
- Dinwiddie County, VA R+16
- Hopewell City, VA D+23
- Colonial Heights City, VA R+19
- Greensville County, VA D+13
- Franklin City, VA D+32
- Emporia City, VA D+43
Counties with Similar Populations
- Mackinac County, MI R+19
- Louisa County, IA R+37
- Box Butte County, NE R+55
- Pushmataha County, OK R+70
- Carroll County, KY R+51
- Barnes County, ND R+36
- Early County, GA R+6
- Hancock County, IA R+42
- Roosevelt County, MT Even
- Lincoln County, WA R+54
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Virginia Department 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.