Elba is a Republican stronghold. About 17% of voters here vote Democratic and 83% Republican.
About 70% of adults in Elba typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Elba, ~12% vote Democratic, ~58% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Elba compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Elba leans more Republican than 46 of 63 neighbors.
Elba runs about 76 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while Elba is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Elba. The north side is the most Republican-leaning (R+70) and the southwest side is the least Republican-leaning (R+55), a spread of about 15 points.
Why Elba leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Elba, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Elba votes against the grain of Illinois. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while Elba runs about 76 points more Republican. Car-dependent areas vote Republican, and about 85% of residents in Elba drive to work alone, above 82% of cities. A high family-household share predicts Republican voting, and about 78% of households in Elba are family households, above 84% of cities.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Elba, IL sits below the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Elba looks the way it does
Turnout in Elba 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 Cities
- Omaha, IL R+64
- Norris City, IL R+62
- Texas City, IL R+60
- Ridgway, IL R+54
- New Haven, IL R+56
- Emma, IL R+68
- Broughton, IL R+67
- Eldorado, IL R+49
- Sacramento, IL R+68
- Mayberry, IL R+64
Cities with Similar Populations
- Yatesville, IL R+52
- Yancopin, AR R+40
- Wick, WV R+70
- Wild Horse, CO R+71
- White Pine, WV R+68
- Reynoldsville, NY Even
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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.