26278 is a Republican stronghold. About 17% of voters here vote Democratic and 83% Republican.
About 55% of adults in 26278 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26278, ~9% vote Democratic, ~46% Republican, and ~45% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26278 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26278 leans more Republican than 11 of 15 neighbors.
26278 runs about 24 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Why 26278 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 26278, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with many family households vote Republican. About 84% of households in 26278 are family households, about 18 points above the U.S. average of 67%. Rural areas vote Republican, and 26278 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 2%, below 95% of zip codes). Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 26278 sits in the bottom quarter (about 15%, below 82% of zip codes).
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 26278, WV sits in the bottom 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 26278 looks the way it does
Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout. About 8% of homes in 26278 have more than one occupant per room, above 94% of zip codes. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 83% of adults in 26278 have completed high school, below 86% 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.