Sandoval County is a true toss-up. About 52% of voters here vote Democratic and 48% Republican.
About 75% of adults in Sandoval County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Sandoval County, ~39% vote Democratic, ~36% Republican, and ~25% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Sandoval County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Sandoval County leans more Democratic than 2 of 5 neighbors.
Politically, Sandoval County sits close to the rest of New Mexico.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Sandoval County. The northeast side runs the most Democratic (D+41) and the west side runs the most Republican (R+9), a spread of about 51 points.
Why Sandoval County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Sandoval 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; Sandoval County, NM sits in the top quarter nationally 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 Sandoval County looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. Sandoval 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 66%, about 6 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Homeowners vote more often than renters, and about 84% of households in Sandoval County own their home, above 95% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Bernalillo County, NM D+21
- Valencia County, NM R+13
- Santa Fe County, NM D+45
- Los Alamos County, NM D+27
- Torrance County, NM R+36
- Rio Arriba County, NM D+20
- Cibola County, NM D+10
- San Miguel County, NM D+24
- Socorro County, NM Even
- Mora County, NM D+18
Counties with Similar Populations
- Orange County, NC D+48
- Parker County, TX R+62
- Wilson County, TN R+39
- Rowan County, NC R+27
- Scott County, MN R+5
- Coweta County, GA R+27
- Penobscot County, ME R+7
- Kaufman County, TX R+29
- Kings County, CA R+10
- Coconino County, AZ D+21
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from New Mexico Secretary of State, Bureau 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.