Putnam County leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 64% of adults in Putnam County typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Putnam County, ~18% vote Democratic, ~46% Republican, and ~36% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Putnam County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Putnam County is the least Republican-leaning.
Putnam County runs about 13 points more Republican than Tennessee as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Putnam County. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+59) and the north side is the least Republican-leaning (R+24), a spread of about 36 points.
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.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; Putnam County, TN sits above the national average on this measure.
Why turnout in Putnam County looks the way it does
Turnout in Putnam 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
- Jackson County, TN R+65
- White County, TN R+66
- Overton County, TN R+67
- DeKalb County, TN R+63
- Smith County, TN R+64
- Clay County, TN R+67
- Cumberland County, TN R+57
- Van Buren County, TN R+71
- Pickett County, TN R+70
- Fentress County, TN R+68
Counties with Similar Populations
- Clinton County, NY R+5
- Hancock County, IN R+36
- Natrona County, WY R+41
- Umatilla County, OR R+34
- Kosciusko County, IN R+47
- Bedford County, VA R+43
- Floyd County, IN R+18
- Clearfield County, PA R+46
- Clinton County, MI R+12
- Chelan County, WA R+12
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of 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.