87531 leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 56% of adults in 87531 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 87531, ~33% vote Democratic, ~23% Republican, and ~44% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 87531 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 87531 leans more Democratic than 4 of 12 neighbors.
87531 runs about 11 points more Democratic than New Mexico as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 87531. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+46) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+11), a spread of about 35 points.
Why 87531 leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in 87531. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Cancer-screening access and voter turnout
Places with low colon-cancer-screening access tend to turn out at a lower rate; 87531, NM sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in 87531 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 87531 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 24% of adults in 87531 report food insecurity, above 87% of zip codes. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 87531 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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 New Mexico Secretary of State, Bureau 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.