Mercer County is a Republican stronghold. About 24% of voters here vote Democratic and 76% Republican.
About 76% of adults in Mercer County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Mercer County, ~18% vote Democratic, ~58% Republican, and ~24% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Mercer County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Mercer County leans more Republican than 16 of 24 neighbors.
Mercer County runs about 21 points more Republican than Kentucky as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Mercer County. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+62) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+43), a spread of about 20 points.
Why Mercer County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Mercer County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Cancer-screening access and voter turnout
Places with high colon-cancer-screening access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Mercer County, KY sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in Mercer County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Mercer 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 61%, about 7 points above the Kentucky average of 54%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Boyle County, KY R+29
- Jessamine County, KY R+35
- Anderson County, KY R+50
- Garrard County, KY R+59
- Washington County, KY R+58
- Woodford County, KY R+29
- Lincoln County, KY R+64
- Fayette County, KY D+24
- Marion County, KY R+50
- Franklin County, KY R+19
Counties with Similar Populations
- Rockbridge County, VA R+36
- Ouachita County, AR R+14
- Johnson County, KY R+66
- Washington County, IA R+33
- Brooke County, WV R+42
- Klickitat County, WA R+11
- Caswell County, NC R+23
- Allen Parish, LA R+48
- Emanuel County, GA R+35
- Overton County, TN R+67
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Kentucky State Board 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. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.