71226 is a Republican stronghold. About 19% of voters here vote Democratic and 81% Republican.
About 60% of adults in 71226 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 71226, ~11% vote Democratic, ~49% Republican, and ~40% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 71226 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 71226 leans more Republican than 3 of 4 neighbors.
71226 runs about 41 points more Republican than Louisiana as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 71226. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+88) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+38), a spread of about 50 points.
Why 71226 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 71226, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 86% of residents in 71226 drive to work alone, about 13 points above the U.S. average of 74%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 71226 sits in the bottom quarter (about 12%, below 90% of zip codes).
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 71226, LA sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 71226 looks the way it does
Areas with high food insecurity turn out at lower rates. About 25% of adults in 71226 report food insecurity, about 9 points above the U.S. average of 16%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 71226 sits in the bottom quarter on routine-care measures. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 78% of adults in 71226 have completed high school, below 93% of 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 Louisiana 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.