98134 is a Democratic stronghold. About 82% of voters here vote Democratic and 18% Republican.
About 60% of adults in 98134 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98134, ~49% vote Democratic, ~11% Republican, and ~40% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98134 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98134 leans more Democratic than 51 of 70 neighbors.
98134 runs about 45 points more Democratic than Washington as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98134. The northeast side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+71) and the southwest side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+48), a spread of about 24 points.
Why 98134 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 98134, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Dense areas vote Democratic. About 92% of residents in 98134 live in densely developed areas, about 56 points above the U.S. average of 36%. High college attainment predicts Democratic voting, and 98134 sits in the top quarter (about 56%, above 92% of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 48% of adults in 98134 have never been married, above 94% of zip codes.
Never-married share, developed land, and voter turnout
Places that combine a never-married-heavy adult population and a heavily developed built environment tend to turn out at a lower rate, as 98134, WA does.
Why turnout in 98134 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 72% of households in 98134 rent, about 47 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and 98134 sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. 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.