Pettis County leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 65% of adults in Pettis County typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Pettis County, ~18% vote Democratic, ~47% Republican, and ~35% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Pettis County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Pettis County leans more Republican than 2 of 9 neighbors.
Pettis County runs about 25 points more Republican than Missouri as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Pettis County. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+63) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+27), a spread of about 37 points.
Why Pettis County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Pettis County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; Pettis County, MO sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Pettis County looks the way it does
Turnout in Pettis County 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 Counties
- Benton County, MO R+60
- Saline County, MO R+36
- Johnson County, MO R+35
- Cooper County, MO R+46
- Morgan County, MO R+63
- Henry County, MO R+54
- Moniteau County, MO R+60
- Lafayette County, MO R+51
- Howard County, MO R+48
- Carroll County, MO R+61
Counties with Similar Populations
- Prince George County, VA R+2
- Richmond County, NC R+15
- Douglas County, WA R+25
- Levy County, FL R+56
- Sullivan County, NH R+16
- Coffee County, GA R+35
- Polk County, GA R+53
- Jackson County, NC R+18
- Stephens County, OK R+58
- Cerro Gordo County, IA R+18
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Missouri 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.