98037 leans Democratic by roughly 22 points: about 61% of voters vote Democratic and 39% Republican.
About 65% of adults in 98037 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98037, ~40% vote Democratic, ~25% Republican, and ~35% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98037 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98037 leans more Democratic than 11 of 46 neighbors.
Politically, 98037 sits close to the rest of Washington.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98037. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+28) and the southeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+17), a spread of about 11 points.
Why 98037 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 98037, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 97% of residents in 98037 live in densely developed areas, about 61 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 98037 sits in the top quarter (about 44%, above 84% of zip codes).
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 98037, WA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 98037 looks the way it does
Turnout in 98037 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 Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Washington 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.