98118 is a Democratic stronghold. About 82% of voters here vote Democratic and 18% Republican.
About 62% of adults in 98118 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98118, ~51% vote Democratic, ~11% Republican, and ~38% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98118 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98118 leans more Democratic than 44 of 61 neighbors.
98118 runs about 47 points more Democratic than Washington as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98118. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+80) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+50), a spread of about 30 points.
Why 98118 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 98118, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 90% of residents in 98118 live in densely developed areas, about 54 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 98118 sits in the top quarter (about 51%, above 90% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 36% of adults in 98118 have never been married, above 82% of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 98118, WA sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 98118 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 41% of households in 98118 rent, about 16 points above the U.S. average of 25%. 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.