35896 is a Democratic stronghold. About 83% of voters here vote Democratic and 17% Republican.
About 43% of adults in 35896 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 35896, ~36% vote Democratic, ~7% Republican, and ~57% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 35896 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 35896 is the most Democratic-leaning.
35896 runs about 96 points more Democratic than Alabama as a whole. Alabama leans Republican overall, while 35896 is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Why 35896 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 35896, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 35896 is about 23%, about 50 points below the U.S. average of 72%. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 78% of adults in 35896 have never been married, in the top fraction of zip codes. 35896 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; 35896, AL sits in the top quarter 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 35896 looks the way it does
Areas with high food insecurity turn out at lower rates. About 31% of adults in 35896 report food insecurity, about 15 points above the U.S. average of 16%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 35896 sits in the bottom quarter on routine-care measures. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 43% of households in 35896 rent, about 18 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 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.