West Salem is a Republican stronghold. About 15% of voters here vote Democratic and 85% Republican.
About 73% of adults in West Salem typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in West Salem, ~11% vote Democratic, ~62% Republican, and ~27% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How West Salem compares
Among cities within 25 miles, West Salem leans more Republican than 43 of 57 neighbors.
West Salem runs about 82 points more Republican than Illinois as a whole. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while West Salem is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why West Salem 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 West Salem, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
West Salem votes against the grain of Illinois. Illinois leans Democratic overall, while West Salem runs about 82 points more Republican.
Population density and Republican lean
Places with low population density tend to lean Republican; West Salem, IL sits below the national average on this measure.
Why turnout in West Salem looks the way it does
Turnout in West Salem 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
- Samsville, IL R+71
- Parkersburg, IL R+68
- Bone Gap, IL R+72
- Black, IL R+72
- Gards Point, IL R+74
- Calhoun, IL R+68
- Browns, IL R+65
- Friendsville, IL R+71
- Albion, IL R+54
- Mount Erie, IL R+75
Cities with Similar Populations
- Albion, CA D+62
- Pella, ID R+71
- Williston, TN R+39
- Midway, WV R+59
- Antonito, CO R+11
- Ellendale, MN R+42
- Duplex, TN R+54
- Milesburg, PA R+39
- Toone, TN R+64
- Cascade, MD R+43
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Illinois 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.