98102 is a Democratic stronghold. About 90% of voters here vote Democratic and 10% Republican.
About 67% of adults in 98102 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98102, ~61% vote Democratic, ~7% Republican, and ~32% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98102 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98102 leans more Democratic than 68 of 69 neighbors.
98102 runs about 61 points more Democratic than Washington as a whole.
Why 98102 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 98102, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 88% of residents in 98102 live in densely developed areas, about 52 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 98102 sits in the top quarter (about 77%, in the top fraction of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 62% of adults in 98102 have never been married, above 98% of zip codes.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; 98102, WA sits in the top tenth nationally 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 98102 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 98102 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 75%, about 15 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 99% of adults in 98102 have completed high school, above 98% of zip codes. 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.