Cleveland is a Republican stronghold. About 18% of voters here vote Democratic and 82% Republican.
About 81% of adults in Cleveland typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Cleveland, ~14% vote Democratic, ~67% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Cleveland compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Cleveland leans more Republican than 45 of 55 neighbors.
Cleveland runs about 46 points more Republican than South Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Cleveland. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+69) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+57), a spread of about 12 points.
Why Cleveland leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Cleveland. 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; Cleveland, 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 Cleveland looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Cleveland 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 63%, above 58% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Lakemont, SC R+65
- Marietta, SC R+65
- River Falls, SC R+43
- Cedar Mountain, NC R+22
- Dacusville, SC R+74
- Slater, SC R+69
- Rocky Bottom, SC R+61
- Travelers Rest, SC R+50
- Little River, NC R+24
- Brevard, NC R+4
Cities with Similar Populations
- Malesus, TN R+54
- Olean, MO R+73
- West Baldwin, ME R+24
- Blue Hill, NE R+70
- South Torrington, WY R+59
- Georges Mills, NH D+10
- Round Lake, NY D+14
- Ranger, WV R+71
- Bowlegs, OK R+66
- Pecan Grove, MS R+81
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.