Oto is a Republican stronghold. About 20% of voters here vote Democratic and 80% Republican.
About 86% of adults in Oto typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Oto, ~17% vote Democratic, ~69% Republican, and ~14% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Oto compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Oto leans more Republican than 26 of 31 neighbors.
Oto runs about 46 points more Republican than Iowa as a whole.
Why Oto leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Oto. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Population density and Republican lean
Places with low population density tend to lean Republican; Oto, IA sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Oto looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Oto 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 68%, about 8 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Smithland, IA R+58
- Anthon, IA R+58
- Rodney, IA R+49
- Hornick, IA R+60
- Climbing Hill, IA R+60
- Ticonic, IA R+47
- Danbury, IA R+59
- Mapleton, IA R+49
- Moville, IA R+40
- Correctionville, IA R+58
Cities with Similar Populations
- McCance, PA R+39
- Birdsall, NY R+53
- South Newcastle, ME D+11
- Perrytown, NC R+19
- Hickman, OH R+61
- Mountain Lake, PA R+63
- Centerville, MS R+67
- Rocky Hill, AL R+44
- Hand Valley, AR R+63
- Kipps, NY R+19
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Iowa 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.