23856 leans Democratic by roughly 28 points: about 64% of voters vote Democratic and 36% Republican.
About 64% of adults in 23856 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 23856, ~41% vote Democratic, ~23% Republican, and ~36% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 23856 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 23856 leans more Democratic than 9 of 10 neighbors.
23856 runs about 23 points more Democratic than Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 23856. The south side runs the most Democratic (D+54) and the east side runs the most Republican (R+9), a spread of about 63 points.
Why 23856 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 23856, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with many never-married adults vote Democratic. About 43% of adults in 23856 have never been married, well above similar-sized zip codes (around 28%).
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 23856, VA sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 23856 looks the way it does
Turnout in 23856 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.