23508 is a Democratic stronghold. About 79% of voters here vote Democratic and 21% Republican.
About 62% of adults in 23508 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 23508, ~49% vote Democratic, ~13% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 23508 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 23508 leans more Democratic than 40 of 47 neighbors.
23508 runs about 51 points more Democratic than Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 23508. The south side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+76) and the northwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+21), a spread of about 55 points.
Why 23508 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 23508, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 84% of residents in 23508 live in densely developed areas, about 48 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 23508 sits in the top quarter (about 55%, above 92% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 57% of adults in 23508 have never been married, above 98% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 23508, VA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 23508 looks the way it does
Turnout in 23508 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
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.