26203 is a Republican stronghold. About 13% of voters here vote Democratic and 87% Republican.
About 40% of adults in 26203 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26203, ~5% vote Democratic, ~35% Republican, and ~60% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26203 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26203 is the most Republican-leaning.
26203 runs about 33 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Why 26203 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 26203, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with a high white share and below-average college attainment vote Republican. In 26203, more than 99% of residents are non-Hispanic white, about 28 points above the U.S. average of 72%; about 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, about 13 points below the U.S. average of 28%. Rural areas vote Republican, and 26203 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 3%, below 92% of zip codes).
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 26203, WV sits in the bottom quarter 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 26203 looks the way it does
Areas with low high-school completion turn out at lower rates. About 73% of adults in 26203 have completed high school, about 17 points below the U.S. average of 90%. Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout, and about 5% of homes in 26203 have more than one occupant per room, above 84% of zip codes. 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 West Virginia Secretary of State, 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.