59851 leans Republican by roughly 26 points: about 37% of voters vote Democratic and 63% Republican.
About 74% of adults in 59851 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 59851, ~27% vote Democratic, ~47% Republican, and ~26% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 59851 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 59851 leans more Republican than 8 of 9 neighbors.
59851 runs about 6 points more Republican than Montana as a whole.
Why 59851 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 59851, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Rural areas vote Republican. About 4% of residents in 59851 live in densely developed areas, about 9 points below the Montana average of 13%.
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 59851, MT does.
Why turnout in 59851 looks the way it does
Turnout in 59851 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 Montana 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.