Bolivar County leans heavily Democratic by roughly 34 points: about 67% of voters vote Democratic and 33% Republican.
About 62% of adults in Bolivar County typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Bolivar County, ~42% vote Democratic, ~20% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Bolivar County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Bolivar County leans more Democratic than 3 of 9 neighbors.
Bolivar County runs about 57 points more Democratic than Mississippi as a whole. Mississippi leans Republican overall, while Bolivar County is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Bolivar County. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+77) and the south side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+4), a spread of about 73 points.
Why Bolivar County leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per county to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Bolivar County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Bolivar County votes against the grain of Mississippi. Mississippi leans Republican overall, while Bolivar County runs about 57 points more Democratic. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 46% of adults in Bolivar County have never been married, above 98% of counties.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; Bolivar County, MS sits above the national average 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 Bolivar County looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Bolivar County 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 8%, about 52 points below the U.S. average of 60%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Sunflower County, MS D+35
- Washington County, MS D+48
- Coahoma County, MS D+51
- Tallahatchie County, MS D+20
- Leflore County, MS D+53
- Desha County, AR R+7
- Chicot County, AR D+3
- Humphreys County, MS D+43
- Quitman County, MS D+44
- Phillips County, AR D+20
Counties with Similar Populations
- Elk County, PA R+42
- Wabash County, IN R+48
- Williamsburg County, SC D+26
- Kleberg County, TX R+6
- Muhlenberg County, KY R+55
- Bee County, TX R+22
- Sheridan County, WY R+47
- Summit County, CO D+23
- Freeborn County, MN R+22
- Stone County, MO R+55
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Mississippi 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.