36871 leans Republican by roughly 24 points: about 38% of voters vote Democratic and 62% Republican.
About 65% of adults in 36871 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 36871, ~25% vote Democratic, ~40% Republican, and ~35% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 36871 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 36871 leans more Republican than 3 of 5 neighbors.
36871 runs about 7 points more Democratic than Alabama as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 36871. The northwest side runs the most Democratic (D+3) and the north side runs the most Republican (R+44), a spread of about 47 points.
Why 36871 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 36871, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 5% of residents in 36871 live in densely developed areas, about 14 points below the Alabama average of 19%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 36871 sits in the bottom quarter (about 16%, below 78% 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 36871, AL does.
Why turnout in 36871 looks the way it does
Turnout in 36871 sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. 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.