Bates is a true toss-up. About 48% of voters here vote Democratic and 52% Republican.
About more than 99% of adults in Bates typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Bates, ~48% vote Democratic, ~52% Republican, and ~0% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Bates compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Bates leans more Republican than 12 of 46 neighbors.
Politically, Bates sits close to the rest of Michigan.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Bates. The south side runs the most Democratic (Even) and the west side runs the most Republican (R+12), a spread of about 13 points.
Why Bates leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Bates. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Food insecurity and voter turnout
Places with low food insecurity tend to turn out at a higher rate; Bates, MI sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Food insecurity does not directly drive turnout; it reflects economic hardship, which lines up with lower voting.
Why turnout in Bates looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Bates is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 77%, about 17 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 97% of adults in Bates have completed high school, above 89% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Acme, MI Even
- Williamsburg, MI R+8
- Yuba, MI D+12
- Traverse City, MI D+3
- Mayfield, MI R+26
- Torch River, MI R+16
- Elk Rapids, MI Even
- Greilickville, MI Even
- Rapid City, MI R+34
- Clam River, MI R+17
Cities with Similar Populations
- Stockton, IA R+38
- Wetmore, KS R+63
- Webster Lake, NH R+14
- Tulip, IN R+60
- Capps, AL R+27
- Stockton, AL R+30
- Queen, PA R+73
- Stovall, GA R+69
- Wilmot, WI R+33
- Spencer, NE R+74
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Michigan Department 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.