35208 is a Democratic stronghold. About 95% of voters here vote Democratic and 5% Republican.
About 57% of adults in 35208 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 35208, ~54% vote Democratic, ~3% Republican, and ~43% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 35208 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 35208 leans more Democratic than 43 of 44 neighbors.
35208 runs about 120 points more Democratic than Alabama as a whole. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 35208 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Why 35208 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 35208, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. More than 99% of residents in 35208 live in densely developed areas, about 63 points above the U.S. average of 36%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 42% of adults in 35208 have never been married, above 89% of zip codes. 35208 runs against the grain of Alabama, a Democratic-leaning pocket in a Republican-leaning state.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 35208, AL sits in the top 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 35208 looks the way it does
Areas with high food insecurity turn out at lower rates. About 36% of adults in 35208 report food insecurity, about 20 points above the U.S. average of 16%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 35% of households in 35208 rent, compared to around 55% in nearby 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 Alabama 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.