Lakeside is a true toss-up. About 48% of voters here vote Democratic and 52% Republican.
About 72% of adults in Lakeside typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Lakeside, ~34% vote Democratic, ~37% Republican, and ~29% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Lakeside compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Lakeside is the least Republican-leaning.
Lakeside runs about 9 points more Democratic than Iowa as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Lakeside. The southeast side is the most split-leaning (R+18) and the northwest side is the least split-leaning (Even), a spread of about 18 points.
Why Lakeside leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Lakeside. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Non-English at home and voter turnout
Places with a low non-English-at-home share tend to turn out at a higher rate; Lakeside, IA sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Lakeside looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Lakeside is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Storm Lake, IA R+7
- Juniata, IA R+37
- Sulphur Springs, IA R+50
- Alta, IA R+33
- Nemaha, IA R+51
- Newell, IA R+47
- Truesdale, IA R+47
- Schaller, IA R+49
- Early, IA R+52
- Varina, IA R+53
Cities with Similar Populations
- Oak Forest, TX R+74
- Kipnuk, AK D+18
- Cincinnati, IA R+58
- McCune, KS R+64
- San Jose, TX R+9
- Melbern, OH R+57
- Hope, KS R+64
- Woodland Park, IN R+44
- Loom, WV R+61
- Apple Springs, TX R+53
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Iowa 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.