98256 leans Republican by roughly 24 points: about 38% of voters vote Democratic and 62% Republican.
About 57% of adults in 98256 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98256, ~22% vote Democratic, ~35% Republican, and ~43% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98256 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98256 is the most Republican-leaning.
98256 runs about 42 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98256 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 98256 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 98256, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98256 votes against the grain of Washington. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98256 runs about 42 points more Republican. Rural areas vote Republican, and 98256 sits in the bottom quarter on density (fewer than 1%, in the bottom fraction of zip codes).
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 98256, WA sits in the bottom quarter 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 98256 looks the way it does
Turnout in 98256 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.