Kanabec County leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 78% of adults in Kanabec County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Kanabec County, ~22% vote Democratic, ~56% Republican, and ~22% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Kanabec County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Kanabec County is the most Republican-leaning.
Kanabec County runs about 48 points more Republican than Minnesota as a whole. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while Kanabec County is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why Kanabec County leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per county to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Kanabec County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Kanabec County votes against the grain of Minnesota. Minnesota leans Democratic overall, while Kanabec County runs about 48 points more Republican. A high white share with below-average college attainment predicts Republican voting, and Kanabec County fits that profile on both counts.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Kanabec County, 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 Kanabec County looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 85% of households in Kanabec County own their home, about 10 points above the U.S. average of 75%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Mille Lacs County, MN R+42
- Pine County, MN R+37
- Isanti County, MN R+34
- Chisago County, MN R+29
- Sherburne County, MN R+29
- Benton County, MN R+30
- Burnett County, WI R+32
- Anoka County, MN Even
- Aitkin County, MN R+33
- Morrison County, MN R+53
Counties with Similar Populations
- Rockcastle County, KY R+70
- Ashland County, WI Even
- Bates County, MO R+60
- Radford City, VA Even
- Trinity County, CA R+14
- Crawford County, WI R+26
- Appomattox County, VA R+44
- Casey County, KY R+72
- Union County, FL R+61
- Otoe County, NE R+39
All Local Stats
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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.