Riverside leans Republican by roughly 26 points: about 37% of voters vote Democratic and 63% Republican.
About 77% of adults in Riverside typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Riverside, ~28% vote Democratic, ~48% Republican, and ~24% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Riverside compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Riverside leans more Republican than 26 of 56 neighbors.
Riverside runs about 8 points more Republican than South Carolina as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Riverside. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+30) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+18), a spread of about 11 points.
Why Riverside leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Riverside. 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; Riverside, SC sits above the national average on this measure.
Why turnout in Riverside looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Riverside 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 62%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Caskey, SC R+18
- Lancaster, SC R+18
- Rowell, SC R+32
- Grace, SC R+20
- Landsford, SC R+53
- Fort Lawn, SC R+33
- Catawba, SC R+50
- Roddy, SC R+49
- Edgemoor, SC R+53
Cities with Similar Populations
- Cedar Rock, NC R+58
- Ottokee, OH R+55
- Shady Grove, TX R+72
- Pettysville, MI R+24
- Bridport, VT Even
- Goshen, NH R+28
- Pineview, TX R+75
- Midland, TN R+58
- Darling, MN R+52
- Davenport, CA D+52
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from South Carolina State Election Commission, 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.