Watford City is a Republican stronghold. About 16% of voters here vote Democratic and 84% Republican.
About 70% of adults in Watford City typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Watford City, ~11% vote Democratic, ~59% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Watford City compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Watford City leans more Republican than 1 of 6 neighbors.
Watford City runs about 32 points more Republican than North Dakota as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Watford City. The southeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+76) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+62), a spread of about 14 points.
Why Watford City leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per city to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for Watford City, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Watford City votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 39%, well above the North Dakota average of 12%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here.
Adult arthritis and voter turnout
Places with a low adult-arthritis rate tend to turn out at a higher rate; Watford City, ND sits in the bottom tenth nationally on this measure. Arthritis does not drive turnout; it reflects the age and health profile of an area.
Why turnout in Watford City looks the way it does
Turnout in Watford City 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 Cities
- Arnegard, ND R+76
- Rawson, ND R+83
- Alexander, ND R+82
- Keene, ND R+37
- Charbonneau, ND R+83
- Grassy Butte, ND R+76
- Wheelock, ND R+78
- Mandaree, ND D+29
- Epping, ND R+78
- Springbrook, ND R+78
Cities with Similar Populations
- St. Joseph, MN R+19
- Effort, PA R+18
- St. Pauls, NC R+17
- Laughlin, NV R+21
- Princeton, NC R+48
- Hillsboro, TX R+30
- Laurel, FL R+20
- Summit Park, UT D+36
- Los Altos Hills, CA D+23
- Canton, TX R+71
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from North Dakota 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.