Ethel is a Republican stronghold. About 17% of voters here vote Democratic and 83% Republican.
About 45% of adults in Ethel typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Ethel, ~8% vote Democratic, ~37% Republican, and ~55% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Ethel compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Ethel leans more Republican than 30 of 153 neighbors.
Ethel runs about 24 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Ethel. The south side is the most Republican-leaning (R+72) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+61), a spread of about 11 points.
Why Ethel leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Ethel. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with limited routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a lower rate; Ethel, WV sits in the bottom tenth nationally 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 Ethel looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Ethel 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 41%, about 11 points below the West Virginia average of 52%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 27% of adults in Ethel report food insecurity, above 93% of cities. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 76% of adults in Ethel have completed high school, below 95% of cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Peach Creek, WV R+65
- Dabney, WV R+66
- Stollings, WV R+67
- Logan, WV R+54
- West Logan, WV R+60
- Henlawson, WV R+68
- Mitchell Heights, WV R+57
- Yolyn, WV R+72
- Wilkinson, WV R+58
- Lake, WV R+70
Cities with Similar Populations
- Dixboro, MI D+24
- Ponce De Leon, MO R+67
- Vowinckel, PA R+53
- New Market, MO R+41
- Rural Vale, TN R+74
- Montauk Beach, NY D+13
- Pyramid, KY R+69
- Monument, OR R+59
- Underhill Center, VT D+18
- Tye River, VA R+28
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from West Virginia 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.