98266 leans slightly Republican by roughly 10 points: about 45% of voters vote Democratic and 55% Republican.
About 65% of adults in 98266 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98266, ~29% vote Democratic, ~36% Republican, and ~35% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98266 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98266 leans more Republican than 1 of 5 neighbors.
98266 runs about 28 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98266 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98266. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+18) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+3), a spread of about 15 points.
Why 98266 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 98266, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98266 votes against the grain of Washington. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98266 runs about 28 points more Republican. Low college attainment predicts Republican voting, and 98266 sits in the bottom quarter (about 15%, below 82% of zip codes).
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 98266, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 98266 looks the way it does
Turnout in 98266 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.