96109 is a Republican stronghold. About 25% of voters here vote Democratic and 75% Republican.
About 32% of adults in 96109 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 96109, ~8% vote Democratic, ~24% Republican, and ~68% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 96109 compares
96109 sits in a sparsely populated area with few comparable zip codes nearby.
96109 runs about 71 points more Republican than California as a whole. California leans Democratic overall, while 96109 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 96109 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 96109, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
96109 votes against the grain of California. California leans Democratic overall, while 96109 runs about 71 points more Republican. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 96109 sits in the bottom quarter (about 14%, below 83% of zip codes).
Population density and Republican lean
Places with low population density tend to lean Republican; 96109, CA sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 96109 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 96109 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 50%, about 12 points below the California average of 62%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 25% of adults in 96109 report food insecurity, above 89% of zip codes. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 80% of adults in 96109 have completed high school, below 91% 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 California 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.