Anderson County leans heavily Republican by roughly 42 points: about 29% of voters vote Democratic and 71% Republican.
About 73% of adults in Anderson County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Anderson County, ~21% vote Democratic, ~52% Republican, and ~27% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Anderson County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Anderson County leans more Republican than 8 of 14 neighbors.
Anderson County runs about 25 points more Republican than South Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Anderson County. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+63) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+19), a spread of about 44 points.
Why Anderson County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Anderson County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Cancer-screening access and voter turnout
Places with high colon-cancer-screening access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Anderson County, SC sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in Anderson County looks the way it does
Turnout in Anderson County 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 Counties
- Pickens County, SC R+43
- Oconee County, SC R+54
- Hart County, GA R+47
- Abbeville County, SC R+39
- Greenville County, SC R+14
- Laurens County, SC R+35
- Elbert County, GA R+35
- Franklin County, GA R+66
- Greenwood County, SC R+18
- Stephens County, GA R+53
Counties with Similar Populations
- Yuma County, AZ R+8
- Hall County, GA R+32
- Onslow County, NC R+23
- Trumbull County, OH R+17
- Champaign County, IL D+29
- Richmond County, GA D+41
- Hawaii County, HI D+20
- Benton County, WA R+21
- Muscogee County, GA D+25
- Elkhart County, IN R+28
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from South Carolina State Election Commission, 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.