98112 is a Democratic stronghold. About 90% of voters here vote Democratic and 10% Republican.
About 79% of adults in 98112 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98112, ~71% vote Democratic, ~8% Republican, and ~21% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98112 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98112 is the most Democratic-leaning.
98112 runs about 61 points more Democratic than Washington as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98112. The southwest side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+84) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+67), a spread of about 16 points.
Why 98112 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 98112, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 86% of residents in 98112 live in densely developed areas, about 50 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 98112 sits in the top quarter (about 82%, in the top fraction of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 38% of adults in 98112 have never been married, above 84% of zip codes.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 98112, WA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 98112 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 98112 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 78%, about 18 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 99% of adults in 98112 have completed high school, above 97% 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.