Merlin leans heavily Republican by roughly 38 points: about 31% of voters vote Democratic and 69% Republican.
About 84% of adults in Merlin typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Merlin, ~26% vote Democratic, ~58% Republican, and ~16% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Merlin compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Merlin leans more Republican than 14 of 17 neighbors.
Merlin runs about 53 points more Republican than Oregon as a whole. Oregon leans Democratic overall, while Merlin is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why Merlin leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Merlin, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Merlin votes against the grain of Oregon. Oregon leans Democratic overall, while Merlin runs about 53 points more Republican. Car-dependent areas vote Republican, and about 85% of residents in Merlin drive to work alone, above 82% of cities.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; Merlin, OR sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in Merlin looks the way it does
Turnout in Merlin sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Hugo, OR R+33
- Grants Pass, OR R+24
- Wilderville, OR R+34
- Wolf Creek, OR R+33
- Wonder, OR R+35
- Wimer, OR R+33
- Murphy, OR R+29
- Rogue River, OR R+31
- Glendale, OR R+36
- Glendale Junction, OR R+38
Cities with Similar Populations
- Follansbee, WV R+45
- Nicholson, GA R+65
- Le Sueur, MN R+28
- Scottdale, GA D+62
- Bostic, NC R+62
- Johnston City, IL R+42
- Stanfield, NC R+69
- Flemingsburg, KY R+55
- Sunman, IN R+61
- Springfield, MI R+9
All Local Stats
Home Services
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division, 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.