Nelson leans heavily Republican by roughly 42 points: about 29% of voters vote Democratic and 71% Republican.
About 82% of adults in Nelson typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Nelson, ~24% vote Democratic, ~58% Republican, and ~18% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Nelson compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Nelson leans more Republican than 46 of 58 neighbors.
Nelson runs about 41 points more Republican than Michigan as a whole.
Why Nelson leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Nelson. 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; Nelson, MI sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Cancer screening does not drive turnout; it reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access.
Why turnout in Nelson looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Nelson 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 71%, about 11 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Homeowners vote more often than renters, and about 93% of households in Nelson own their home, about 18 points above the U.S. average of 75%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Roosevelt, MI R+40
- St. Charles, MI R+36
- Merrill, MI R+44
- Orr, MI R+35
- Hemlock, MI R+36
- Marion Springs, MI R+46
- Brant, MI R+45
- Rathbone, MI R+51
- Iva, MI R+40
- Frost, MI R+30
Cities with Similar Populations
- White Hall, AL D+52
- Troutdale, VA R+62
- Lewis Run, PA R+46
- Selle, ID R+50
- Carmine, TX R+63
- Premium, KY R+68
- Remer, MN R+37
- Eads, CO R+70
- Center Grove, AR R+74
- Holden Beach, NC R+37
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Michigan Department 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.