Galveston leans slightly Democratic by roughly 14 points: about 57% of voters vote Democratic and 43% Republican.
About 50% of adults in Galveston typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Galveston, ~28% vote Democratic, ~22% Republican, and ~50% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Galveston compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Galveston is the most Democratic-leaning.
Galveston runs about 28 points more Democratic than Texas as a whole. Texas leans Republican overall, while Galveston is one of the few Democratic-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Galveston. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+38) and the northwest side runs the most Republican (R+27), a spread of about 66 points.
Why Galveston 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 Galveston, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 83% of residents in Galveston live in densely developed areas, about 47 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and Galveston sits in the top quarter (about 35%, above 82% of cities). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 37% of adults in Galveston have never been married, above 91% of cities.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; Galveston, TX sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Galveston looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Galveston is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 52% of households in Galveston rent, compared to around 21% in nearby cities. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Tiki Island, TX R+48
- Bayou Vista, TX R+35
- Texas City, TX D+10
- Jamaica Beach, TX R+36
- La Marque, TX D+11
- Hitchcock, TX R+7
- Bolivar Peninsula, TX R+55
- San Leon, TX R+26
- Santa Fe, TX R+56
- Bacliff, TX R+21
Cities with Similar Populations
- Union, NJ D+32
- Hoffman Estates, IL D+15
- Meridian, MS D+11
- Normal, IL D+23
- Delaware, OH R+7
- Potomac, MD D+49
- Methuen Town, MA D+6
- Port Arthur, TX D+31
- Sterling, VA D+23
- Downers Grove, IL D+17
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division, 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.