98296 is a true toss-up. About 50% of voters here vote Democratic and 50% Republican.
About 90% of adults in 98296 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98296, ~45% vote Democratic, ~45% Republican, and ~10% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98296 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98296 sits roughly in the middle of the political spectrum, with 5 neighbors leaning further in the place's direction and 30 leaning the other way.
98296 runs about 17 points more Republican than Washington as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98296. The southwest side runs the most Democratic (D+17) and the northeast side runs the most Republican (R+13), a spread of about 30 points.
Why 98296 leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in 98296. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 98296, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 98296 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 98296 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 71%, about 11 points above the U.S. average of 60%. Homeowners vote more often than renters, and about 90% of households in 98296 own their home, compared to around 71% in nearby zip codes. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 96% of adults in 98296 have completed high school, above 85% of zip codes. 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.