26852 is a Republican stronghold. About 17% of voters here vote Democratic and 83% Republican.
About 67% of adults in 26852 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26852, ~11% vote Democratic, ~56% Republican, and ~33% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26852 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26852 leans more Republican than 7 of 11 neighbors.
26852 runs about 25 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Why 26852 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 26852, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 5% of residents in 26852 live in densely developed areas, about 6 points below the West Virginia average of 12%.
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; 26852, WV sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 26852 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 94% of households in 26852 own their home, about 13 points above the West Virginia average of 81%. 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.