Williston leans Republican by roughly 16 points: about 42% of voters vote Democratic and 58% Republican.
About 71% of adults in Williston typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Williston, ~30% vote Democratic, ~41% Republican, and ~29% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Williston compares
Among cities within 25 miles, Williston leans more Republican than 14 of 39 neighbors.
Politically, Williston sits close to the rest of South Carolina.
Politics vary noticeably by neighborhood within Williston. The east side runs the most Democratic (D+25) and the west side runs the most Republican (R+40), a spread of about 65 points.
Why Williston 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 Williston, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Car-dependent areas vote Republican. About 89% of residents in Williston drive to work alone, about 15 points above the U.S. average of 74%. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and Williston sits in the bottom quarter (about 13%, below 86% of cities).
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; Williston, SC sits below the national average on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in Williston looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. Williston is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Cities
- Elko, SC R+35
- Windsor, SC R+58
- Blackville, SC D+28
- Hilda, SC R+60
- Springfield, SC D+12
- Oakwood, SC R+55
- Kitchings Mill, SC R+50
- Montmorenci, SC R+37
- Snelling, SC R+22
- Barnwell, SC R+19
Cities with Similar Populations
- Schoolcraft, MI R+17
- White Pigeon, MI R+47
- Diana, TX R+74
- Checotah, OK R+49
- Margate City, NJ R+5
- Westvale, NY D+22
- Whittier, NC R+34
- Angie, LA R+28
- Campbellsport, WI R+51
- Winfield, WV R+48
All Local Stats
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Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from South Carolina State Election Commission, 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.