Clearwater County is a Republican stronghold. About 18% of voters here vote Democratic and 82% Republican.
About 70% of adults in Clearwater County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Clearwater County, ~13% vote Democratic, ~57% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Clearwater County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Clearwater County leans more Republican than 4 of 5 neighbors.
Clearwater County runs about 27 points more Republican than Idaho as a whole.
Why Clearwater 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 Clearwater County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with low college attainment vote Republican. About 17% of adults in Clearwater County hold a bachelor's degree, about 9 points below the Idaho average of 26%.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Clearwater County, ID 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 Clearwater County looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 83% of households in Clearwater County own their home, about 8 points above the U.S. average of 75%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Lewis County, ID R+60
- Idaho County, ID R+64
- Nez Perce County, ID R+35
- Latah County, ID R+4
- Asotin County, WA R+29
- Whitman County, WA D+16
- Benewah County, ID R+60
- Garfield County, WA R+58
- Shoshone County, ID R+43
- Mineral County, MT R+53
Counties with Similar Populations
- Blaine County, OK R+60
- Hancock County, GA D+32
- Sublette County, WY R+58
- Quay County, NM R+32
- Benton County, IN R+49
- Monona County, IA R+46
- Wilcox County, GA R+33
- Modoc County, CA R+44
- Greene County, IA R+39
- Gallatin County, KY R+57
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Idaho 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.