Otero County leans Republican by roughly 24 points: about 38% of voters vote Democratic and 62% Republican.
About 71% of adults in Otero County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Otero County, ~27% vote Democratic, ~44% Republican, and ~29% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Otero County compares
Otero County sits in a sparsely populated area with few comparable counties nearby.
Otero County runs about 34 points more Republican than Colorado as a whole. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while Otero County is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Otero County. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+67) and the southeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+6), a spread of about 62 points.
Why Otero County leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per county to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Otero County, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Otero County votes against the grain of Colorado. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while Otero County runs about 34 points more Republican.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; Otero County, CO sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Otero County looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Otero County 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 Counties
- Crowley County, CO R+47
- Bent County, CO R+29
- Pueblo County, CO Even
- Kiowa County, CO R+72
- Prowers County, CO R+38
- Huerfano County, CO R+7
- Las Animas County, CO R+13
- Baca County, CO R+69
- Lincoln County, CO R+61
- El Paso County, CO R+7
Counties with Similar Populations
- Harrison County, KY R+51
- Concordia Parish, LA R+24
- Crawford County, IL R+50
- Bethel Census Area, AK D+18
- Poweshiek County, IA R+19
- Warren County, NC D+19
- Clay County, MS D+18
- Andrews County, TX R+62
- Deaf Smith County, TX R+30
- Paulding County, OH R+57
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Colorado 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.