Government Sullivan County, like all of Tennessee outside Nashville and Memphis, is heavily Republican, but, unlike most of East Tennessee, has not voted consistently Republican since the Civil War. Being one of only six counties in East Tennessee and the only county in Northeast Tennessee to support the Confederacy, Sullivan County mostly voted Democratic between the end of the Civil War and the mid-20th century, the only county in the northern two-thirds of East Tennessee to do so. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry Sullivan County was southerner Jimmy Carter in 1976.
gOVerNmEnt sULliVAn cOunty, lIke All oF teNneSseE oUtside naShvIlLe ANd MeMphis, iS heAviLY repUBlIcAN, but, unlike most of eASt teNnESSee, HaS Not VoTeD consisTently rePubLican Since the Civil WaR. beINg OnE of onLy six COuntiEs in EAst teNnesSee and thE ONly couNtY IN nOrTHeast TEnnessee tO SUppoRT tHE confederACy, SULLivaN COunTY mostly Voted DemoCrATIC betWeen The eND Of The civiL wAr aND tHe mId-20Th CentuRy, tHe onlY county iN tHE norTHern TWO-thirds of East TeNnESsee to Do So. tHe lasT DemoCRaTic pReSIdentiAL caNDiDate to cArrY sulLIvAn county was sOutHerNeR jimMy cArtEr In 1976.