Grand Traverse County is a true toss-up. About 48% of voters here vote Democratic and 52% Republican.
About 93% of adults in Grand Traverse County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Grand Traverse County, ~45% vote Democratic, ~49% Republican, and ~6% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Grand Traverse County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Grand Traverse County leans more Republican than 1 of 9 neighbors.
Politically, Grand Traverse County sits close to the rest of Michigan.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Grand Traverse County. The north side runs the most Democratic (D+25) and the southeast side runs the most Republican (R+35), a spread of about 60 points.
Why Grand Traverse County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Grand Traverse County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Grand Traverse County, MI sits in the top 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 Grand Traverse County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Grand Traverse County 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 73%, about 13 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 95% of adults in Grand Traverse County have completed high school, above 94% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Leelanau County, MI Even
- Benzie County, MI R+10
- Kalkaska County, MI R+42
- Antrim County, MI R+21
- Wexford County, MI R+33
- Missaukee County, MI R+49
- Manistee County, MI R+18
- Charlevoix County, MI R+19
- Crawford County, MI R+31
- Otsego County, MI R+28
Counties with Similar Populations
- Rogers County, OK R+49
- Cape May County, NJ R+18
- Benton County, OR D+42
- Geauga County, OH R+30
- Nash County, NC D+3
- Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK R+9
- Lancaster County, SC R+23
- Cabell County, WV R+19
- Suffolk City, VA D+20
- Walton County, GA R+37
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Michigan Department 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.