26501 is a true toss-up. About 50% of voters here vote Democratic and 50% Republican.
About 58% of adults in 26501 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26501, ~29% vote Democratic, ~29% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26501 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26501 sits roughly in the middle of the political spectrum, with 28 neighbors leaning further in the place's direction and 1 leaning the other way.
26501 runs about 42 points more Democratic than West Virginia as a whole. West Virginia leans Republican overall, while 26501 sits closer to the political middle.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 26501. The east side runs the most Democratic (D+39) and the southwest side runs the most Republican (R+50), a spread of about 90 points.
Why 26501 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 26501, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
26501 votes against the grain of West Virginia. West Virginia leans Republican overall, while 26501 runs about 42 points more Democratic.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 26501, WV sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 26501 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 37% of households in 26501 rent, about 12 points above the U.S. average of 25%. 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.