Sylvester leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 66% of adults in Sylvester typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Sylvester, ~18% vote Democratic, ~48% Republican, and ~34% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Sylvester compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Sylvester leans more Republican than 32 of 51 neighbors.
Sylvester runs about 44 points more Republican than Michigan as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Sylvester. The west side is the most Republican-leaning (R+50) and the northeast side is the least Republican-leaning (R+29), a spread of about 21 points.
Why Sylvester leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Sylvester. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Sylvester, MI sits in the bottom quarter 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 Sylvester looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 92% of households in Sylvester own their home, about 9 points above the Michigan average of 83%. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Canadian Lakes, MI R+24
- Lakeview, MI R+42
- Mecosta, MI R+30
- Millbrook, MI R+43
- Remus, MI R+36
- Six Lakes, MI R+44
- Morley, MI R+47
- Blanchard, MI R+41
- Wyman, MI R+46
- Stanwood, MI R+38
Cities with Similar Populations
- Grand Gorge, NY R+12
- Kroschel, MN R+48
- Millgrove, MI R+35
- Lake Pines, DE R+51
- Huntington, OR R+59
- Clatonia, NE R+58
- Jacob City, FL R+37
- Cruger, MS D+50
- Rice Hill, OR R+44
- Emmons, MN R+31
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Michigan Department 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.