Riverside leans heavily Democratic by roughly 32 points: about 66% of voters vote Democratic and 34% Republican.
About 42% of adults in Riverside typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Riverside, ~28% vote Democratic, ~14% Republican, and ~58% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Riverside compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, Riverside leans more Democratic than 17 of 21 neighbors.
Riverside runs about 14 points more Democratic than Washington as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within Riverside. The southwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+42) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+27), a spread of about 15 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.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; Riverside, Spokane, WA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Riverside looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 92% of households in Riverside rent, about 67 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and Riverside sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Greenfield Courthouse Square Historic District, Greenfield, R+35
- Longbrook Estates, Bessemer, AL D+75
- Frontenac, Aurora, IL D+26
- West Rancho Domingues, Compton, CA D+61
- Riviera-Westchester, Bakersfield, CA R+10
- Washington Avenue-Memorial Park, Houston, TX D+23
- Whipper Barnoy, North Charleston, SC D+74
- Denver Harbor-Port Houston, Houston, TX D+29
- Saint Anthony, New Orleans, LA D+72
- The Congaree Vista, Columbia, SC D+34
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Washington 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.