Putnam County is a Republican stronghold. About 16% of voters here vote Democratic and 84% Republican.
About 79% of adults in Putnam County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Putnam County, ~13% vote Democratic, ~66% Republican, and ~21% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Putnam County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Putnam County leans more Republican than 14 of 15 neighbors.
Putnam County runs about 50 points more Republican than Missouri as a whole.
Why Putnam County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Putnam County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Park access and Republican lean
Places with low park coverage tend to lean Republican; Putnam County, MO sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in Putnam County looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 84% of households in Putnam County own their home, about 6 points above the Missouri average of 78%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 95% of adults in Putnam County have completed high school, above 93% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Appanoose County, IA R+43
- Sullivan County, MO R+56
- Wayne County, IA R+56
- Schuyler County, MO R+67
- Adair County, MO R+21
- Mercer County, MO R+70
- Davis County, IA R+59
- Monroe County, IA R+43
- Lucas County, IA R+44
- Grundy County, MO R+57
Counties with Similar Populations
- Crane County, TX R+48
- Republic County, KS R+62
- Ringgold County, IA R+50
- Custer County, CO R+33
- Scotland County, MO R+64
- Furnas County, NE R+70
- Musselshell County, MT R+64
- Calhoun County, AR R+61
- Hot Springs County, WY R+57
- Hyde County, NC R+25
All Local Stats
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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.