Washington County is a Republican stronghold. About 21% of voters here vote Democratic and 79% Republican.
About 70% of adults in Washington County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Washington County, ~15% vote Democratic, ~55% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Washington County compares
Among counties within 50 miles, Washington County leans more Republican than 19 of 27 neighbors.
Washington County runs about 27 points more Republican than Kentucky as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Washington County. The east side is the most Republican-leaning (R+67) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+46), a spread of about 20 points.
Why Washington County leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Washington County. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; Washington County, KY sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in Washington County looks the way it does
Turnout in Washington County sits close to the national pattern. Routine healthcare access, homeownership, education, and food security all land near their national averages here. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Marion County, KY R+50
- Nelson County, KY R+46
- Mercer County, KY R+52
- Boyle County, KY R+29
- Spencer County, KY R+56
- Anderson County, KY R+50
- Taylor County, KY R+50
- Bullitt County, KY R+48
- Larue County, KY R+58
- Shelby County, KY R+32
Counties with Similar Populations
- Little River County, AR R+45
- Skamania County, WA R+13
- Lawrence County, MS R+30
- Chickasaw County, IA R+40
- Prowers County, CO R+38
- Boundary County, ID R+64
- Koochiching County, MN R+26
- Greene County, IL R+56
- Fulton County, AR R+64
- Morris County, TX R+39
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Kentucky 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.