Washington County leans heavily Republican by roughly 42 points: about 29% of voters vote Democratic and 71% Republican.
About 79% of adults in Washington County typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Washington County, ~23% vote Democratic, ~56% Republican, and ~21% 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 3 of 19 neighbors.
Washington County runs about 31 points more Republican than Ohio as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by city within Washington County. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+62) and the south side is the least Republican-leaning (R+39), a spread of about 23 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.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; Washington County, OH sits above the national average 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 Washington County looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 94% of adults in Washington County have completed high school, above 83% of counties. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Counties
- Wood County, WV R+41
- Pleasants County, WV R+59
- Morgan County, OH R+55
- Noble County, OH R+55
- Wirt County, WV R+65
- Ritchie County, WV R+68
- Athens County, OH D+8
- Tyler County, WV R+61
- Monroe County, OH R+63
- Meigs County, OH R+58
Counties with Similar Populations
- Washington County, VT D+19
- Mercer County, WV R+50
- Bradford County, PA R+49
- Lincoln County, MO R+51
- Van Zandt County, TX R+72
- Otter Tail County, MN R+35
- Crawford County, AR R+54
- Herkimer County, NY R+29
- Pender County, NC R+33
- Lyon County, NV R+42
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Ohio 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.