Richland County leans heavily Republican by roughly 38 points: about 31% of voters vote Democratic and 69% Republican.
About 72% of adults in Richland County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Richland County, ~22% vote Democratic, ~50% Republican, and ~28% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Richland County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Richland County leans more Republican than 5 of 9 neighbors.
Politically, Richland County sits close to the rest of North Dakota.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Richland County. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+50) and the east side is the least Republican-leaning (R+30), a spread of about 20 points.
Why Richland County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Richland County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Richland County, ND sits above the national average on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in Richland County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Richland County 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 64%, above 74% of counties. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 94% of adults in Richland County have completed high school, above 87% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Wilkin County, MN R+39
- Traverse County, MN R+42
- Sargent County, ND R+50
- Cass County, ND R+5
- Clay County, MN R+3
- Ransom County, ND R+46
- Grant County, MN R+36
- Roberts County, SD R+19
- Otter Tail County, MN R+35
- Marshall County, SD R+31
Counties with Similar Populations
- Lee County, SC D+20
- Burnett County, WI R+32
- Crawford County, IA R+37
- Madison County, AR R+61
- Idaho County, ID R+64
- Madison County, IA R+41
- La Paz County, AZ R+28
- Phillips County, AR D+20
- Fountain County, IN R+58
- Socorro County, NM Even
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from North Dakota 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.