26865 is a Republican stronghold. About 19% of voters here vote Democratic and 81% Republican.
About 62% of adults in 26865 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 26865, ~12% vote Democratic, ~50% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 26865 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 26865 leans more Republican than 7 of 11 neighbors.
26865 runs about 20 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Why 26865 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 26865, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with a high white share and below-average college attainment vote Republican. In 26865, about 97% of residents are non-Hispanic white, about 24 points above the U.S. average of 72%; about 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, about 14 points below the U.S. average of 28%. Rural areas vote Republican, and 26865 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 4%, below 86% of zip codes).
Population density, never-married share, and Republican lean
Places that combine low population density and a never-married-heavy adult population tend to lean Republican, as 26865, WV does.
Why turnout in 26865 looks the way it does
Turnout in 26865 sits close to the national pattern. 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.