SWAIN COUNTY SHERIFF
November 3, 2026 · Swain County, North Carolina · County · general
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: High · 75 out of 100
Smaller districts give each vote more weight, and this district is small for its type. About 14,013 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(1,178,653 ÷ 14,013) ÷ ln(1,178,653 ÷ 3,423) = 75.87, comparing counties in NC (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
High representation + unknown decisiveness → High vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
Sheriff is responsible for:
- Running the county's law-enforcement department, including deputies and patrols
- Running the county jail
- Serving court orders, such as evictions and warrants
- Providing courthouse security in many counties
Affected Areas: Immigration, Public Safety and Crime Control, Gun Control, Data Privacy, Civil Rights
Candidates
Brian Kirkland
Republican · declared
Brian Kirkland is a Republican candidate for SWAIN COUNTY SHERIFF in the November 2026 general election.
David Southards
Democratic · declared
David Southards is a Democratic candidate for SWAIN COUNTY SHERIFF in the November 2026 general election.
Election sources
Source: s3.amazonaws.com