Bureau County leans Republican by roughly 26 points: about 37% of voters vote Democratic and 63% Republican.
About 75% of adults in Bureau County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Bureau County, ~28% vote Democratic, ~47% Republican, and ~25% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Bureau County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Bureau County leans more Republican than 5 of 10 neighbors.
Bureau County runs about 38 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while Bureau County is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Bureau County. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+46) and the southeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+7), a spread of about 39 points.
Why Bureau 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 Bureau County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Bureau County votes against the grain of Illinois. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while Bureau County runs about 38 points more Republican.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Bureau County, IL sits above the national average on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in Bureau County looks the way it does
Turnout in Bureau 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
- Putnam County, IL R+28
- Marshall County, IL R+37
- LaSalle County, IL R+21
- Stark County, IL R+47
- Lee County, IL R+21
- Whiteside County, IL R+20
- Henry County, IL R+24
- Woodford County, IL R+40
- Peoria County, IL D+14
- Ogle County, IL R+28
Counties with Similar Populations
- Pickens County, GA R+59
- Panola County, MS Even
- Morton County, ND R+49
- Caroline County, MD R+34
- Clinton County, IN R+45
- Lee County, GA R+38
- Jefferson County, IN R+43
- Daviess County, IN R+59
- Accomack County, VA R+16
- Marion County, IA R+34
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Illinois State Board of 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.