Speed is a true toss-up. About 52% of voters here vote Democratic and 48% Republican.
About 61% of adults in Speed typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Speed, ~32% vote Democratic, ~29% Republican, and ~39% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Speed compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Speed leans more Democratic than 25 of 59 neighbors.
Speed runs about 8 points more Democratic than North Carolina as a whole.
Why Speed leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Speed. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Food insecurity and voter turnout
Places with high food insecurity tend to turn out at a lower rate; Speed, NC sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. Food insecurity does not directly drive turnout; it reflects economic hardship, which lines up with lower voting.
Why turnout in Speed looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Speed is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 50%, about 11 points below the North Carolina average of 61%. High food insecurity lines up with lower turnout, and about 26% of adults in Speed report food insecurity, above 92% of cities. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and Speed sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Penny Hill, NC Even
- Lawrence, NC D+5
- Hobgood, NC D+11
- Palmyra, NC D+10
- Princeville, NC D+83
- Roseneath, NC R+14
- Tarboro, NC D+16
- Oak City, NC D+5
- Mildred, NC Even
- Leggett, NC D+11
Cities with Similar Populations
- Chokoloskee, FL R+61
- Loving, TX R+81
- West Glover, VT Even
- Lovedale, FL R+13
- Ellaville, FL R+64
- Harco, IL R+64
- Slemp, KY R+79
- Shorewood, OR R+20
- Starks, WI R+31
- Jackson Summit, PA R+58
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from North Carolina State Board 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.