61846 leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 74% of adults in 61846 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 61846, ~21% vote Democratic, ~53% Republican, and ~26% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 61846 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 61846 leans more Republican than 4 of 16 neighbors.
61846 runs about 55 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while 61846 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 61846. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+53) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+39), a spread of about 15 points.
Why 61846 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 61846, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
61846 votes against the grain of Illinois. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while 61846 runs about 55 points more Republican. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 61846 sits in the bottom quarter (about 15%, below 80% of zip codes).
Park access and Republican lean
Places with low park coverage tend to lean Republican; 61846, IL sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 61846 looks the way it does
Turnout in 61846 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 Illinois State Board of 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.