Mercer County leans heavily Republican by roughly 50 points: about 25% of voters vote Democratic and 75% Republican.
About 64% of adults in Mercer County typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Mercer County, ~16% vote Democratic, ~48% Republican, and ~36% 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 7 of 18 neighbors.
Mercer County runs about 8 points more Republican than West Virginia as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Mercer County. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+69) and the southwest side is the least Republican-leaning (R+27), a spread of about 42 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, WV sits above the national average 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
Turnout in Mercer County sits close to the national pattern. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Bland County, VA R+68
- Giles County, VA R+58
- Summers County, WV R+52
- Tazewell County, VA R+58
- McDowell County, WV R+56
- Raleigh County, WV R+46
- Monroe County, WV R+63
- Wythe County, VA R+57
- Wyoming County, WV R+73
- Pulaski County, VA R+43
Counties with Similar Populations
- Lincoln County, MO R+51
- Washington County, OH R+42
- Van Zandt County, TX R+72
- Washington County, VT D+19
- Bradford County, PA R+49
- Otter Tail County, MN R+35
- Lyon County, NV R+42
- Crawford County, AR R+54
- Herkimer County, NY R+29
- Russell County, AL D+6
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from West Virginia 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.