26222 is a Republican stronghold. About 17% of voters here vote Democratic and 83% Republican.
About 57% of adults in 26222 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26222, ~10% vote Democratic, ~47% Republican, and ~43% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26222 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26222 leans more Republican than 8 of 16 neighbors.
26222 runs about 25 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Why 26222 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 26222, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with a high white share and below-average college attainment vote Republican. In 26222, more than 99% of residents are non-Hispanic white, about 27 points above the U.S. average of 72%; about 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, about 17 points below the U.S. average of 28%. Rural areas vote Republican, and 26222 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 2%, below 96% of zip codes).
Population density and Republican lean
Places with low population density tend to lean Republican; 26222, WV sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 26222 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 26222 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 41%, about 11 points below the West Virginia average of 52%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 26% of adults in 26222 report food insecurity, above 89% of zip codes. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 80% of adults in 26222 have completed high school, below 90% 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.