Kailua Kona leans Democratic by roughly 18 points: about 59% of voters vote Democratic and 41% Republican.
About 54% of adults in Kailua Kona typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Kailua Kona, ~32% vote Democratic, ~22% Republican, and ~46% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Kailua Kona compares
Kailua Kona runs about 5 points more Republican than Hawaii as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within Kailua Kona. The southeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+25) and the north side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+10), a spread of about 15 points.
Why Kailua Kona leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Kailua Kona. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Housing overcrowding and voter turnout
Places with heavy housing overcrowding tend to turn out at a lower rate; Kailua Kona, Kailua-Kona, HI sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Kailua Kona looks the way it does
Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout. About 15% of homes in Kailua Kona have more than one occupant per room, above 96% of neighborhoods. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Holualoa, Kailua-Kona, HI D+21
- Kamuela, Waimea, HI D+24
- Downtown Hilo, Hilo, HI D+33
- Hawaiian Acres, Keaau, HI Even
- Orchidlands Estates, Keaau, HI D+6
- Wailea, Kihei, HI D+20
- Pukalani, Makawao, HI D+20
- Napili-Honokowai, Lahaina, HI D+18
- Hawaii Kai, East Honolulu, HI D+24
- Kuliouou-Kalani Iki, East Honolulu, HI D+25
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Maplewood, Rochester, NY D+46
- East Arlington, Jacksonville, FL R+14
- Drnag, San Bernardino, CA D+13
- Waikiki, Honolulu, HI D+32
- North Cambridge, Cambridge, MA D+71
- Whiskey Point, Chicago, IL D+48
- Midway, Gulf Breeze, FL R+45
- SouthWest Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa, CA D+40
- South Berkeley, Berkeley, CA D+79
- Metzger, Tigard, OR D+39
All Local Stats
Home Services
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Hawaii Office 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. Some land-use inputs for Hawaii, including walkability and the environmental-justice index, are estimated rather than measured, so the figures here carry added uncertainty. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.