97856 is a Republican stronghold. About 20% of voters here vote Democratic and 80% Republican.
About 60% of adults in 97856 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 97856, ~12% vote Democratic, ~48% Republican, and ~40% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 97856 compares
97856 runs about 74 points more Republican than Oregon as a whole. Oregon leans Democratic overall, while 97856 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 97856 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 97856, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
97856 votes against the grain of Oregon. Oregon leans Democratic overall, while 97856 runs about 74 points more Republican. Rural areas vote Republican, and 97856 sits in the bottom quarter on density (about 1%, below 97% of zip codes). Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 97856 sits in the bottom quarter (about 13%, below 88% of zip codes).
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; 97856, OR sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 97856 looks the way it does
Turnout in 97856 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 Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division, 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.