Hayward leans heavily Republican by roughly 38 points: about 31% of voters vote Democratic and 69% Republican.
About 60% of adults in Hayward typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Hayward, ~19% vote Democratic, ~41% Republican, and ~40% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Hayward compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Hayward leans more Republican than 22 of 55 neighbors.
Hayward runs about 42 points more Republican than Minnesota as a whole. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while Hayward is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why Hayward 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 Hayward, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Hayward votes against the grain of Minnesota. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while Hayward runs about 42 points more Republican.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Hayward, MN sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Hayward looks the way it does
Turnout in Hayward 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
- Petran, MN R+40
- Oakland, MN R+33
- Albert Lea, MN R+11
- Bancroft, MN R+35
- Glenville, MN R+41
- Myrtle, MN R+41
- Hollandale, MN R+42
- Moscow, MN R+40
- Clarks Grove, MN R+41
- Twin Lakes, MN R+37
Cities with Similar Populations
- Dutton, MT R+57
- Knoxville, KY R+62
- Gainesville, AL D+55
- Craig, NE R+60
- Prague, NE R+58
- Cottonville, NC R+58
- Almyra, AR R+81
- Todd, PA R+68
- Ethel, OK R+72
- Sacaton Flats, AZ D+63
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Minnesota 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.