Sussex, Delaware — Presidential Election Results
Sussex, Delaware has voted Republican in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 26.1 pts more Rep. than Delaware overall.
Jump to year: 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024
Full Election History, 2000–2024
| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Margin | Total Votes Cast | Swing | Vs. Delaware |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 34,620 | 52.2% | 7.4 pts (4,881 votes) | 66,287 | — | 21.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 47,003 | 60.5% | 21.7 pts (16,905 votes) | 77,749 | -14.3 pts | 29.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | John McCain | Republican | 47,939 | 53.8% | 8.6 pts (7,640 votes) | 89,070 | +13.3 pts | 33.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 52,119 | 55.9% | 13.0 pts (12,144 votes) | 93,229 | -4.5 pts | 32.1 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 62,611 | 59.1% | 22.0 pts (23,278 votes) | 106,008 | -9.6 pts | 34.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 71,230 | 55.1% | 11.2 pts (14,548 votes) | 129,352 | +11.5 pts | 30.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 81,025 | 54.9% | 11.0 pts (16,189 votes) | 147,639 | +0.3 pts | 26.1 pts more Rep. |
Population Context
Total Census Bureau population estimate for the county that year, and recorded votes as a share of that total population. This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
| Year | County Population | Votes Cast (% of Population) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 157,307 | 42.1% of population |
| 2004 | 172,517 | 45.1% of population |
| 2008 | 191,991 | 46.4% of population |
| 2012 | 203,034 | 45.9% of population |
| 2016 | 219,321 | 48.3% of population |
| 2020 | 238,654 | 54.2% of population |
| 2024 | 271,134 | 54.5% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Sussex shifted 3.5 points toward the Republican candidate, based on recorded county returns. This reflects the vote totals in this dataset only; no claim is made here about the causes of that shift.
Margin Over Time
Democratic candidate's margin (percentage points, two-party vote share). Positive values favor the Democratic candidate; negative values favor the Republican candidate.
Bellwether Status
Sussex has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Delaware's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Delaware Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Sussex voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Sussex has voted Democratic in 0 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 7 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Sussex?
Sussex's closest recorded margin was in 2000, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 7.6 points (4,881 votes) out of 66,287 total votes cast.
Has Sussex ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Sussex has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Sussex?
The widest margin on record for Sussex was in 2016, when Donald Trump (Republican) won by 22.8 points.
How many votes were cast in Sussex relative to its population?
In 2024, 147,639 votes were recorded in Sussex against a total population of 271,134 (54.5% of the total population). This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
Is Sussex a presidential bellwether county?
Sussex has matched the national popular winner in 4 of the last 7 presidential elections (57%), and Delaware's own statewide winner in 0 of 7 (0%).