98237 leans Republican by roughly 24 points: about 38% of voters vote Democratic and 62% Republican.
About 70% of adults in 98237 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98237, ~27% vote Democratic, ~43% Republican, and ~30% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98237 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98237 leans more Republican than 1 of 3 neighbors.
98237 runs about 42 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98237 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98237. The north side is the most split-leaning (R+29) and the northeast side is the least split-leaning (Even), a spread of about 29 points.
Why 98237 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 98237, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with low college attainment vote Republican. About 13% of adults in 98237 hold a bachelor's degree, about 20 points below the Washington average of 34%. 98237 runs against the grain of Washington, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; 98237, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 98237 looks the way it does
Turnout in 98237 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.