98273 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 10 points: about 55% of voters vote Democratic and 45% Republican.
About 66% of adults in 98273 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98273, ~36% vote Democratic, ~30% Republican, and ~34% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98273 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98273 leans more Democratic than 8 of 10 neighbors.
98273 runs about 8 points more Republican than Washington as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98273. The south side runs the most Democratic (D+17) and the southeast side runs the most Republican (R+9), a spread of about 27 points.
Why 98273 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 98273, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting. Non-Hispanic white share in 98273 is about 60%, about 12 points below the U.S. average of 72%.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 98273, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 98273 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 98273 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. 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.