98416 is a Democratic stronghold. About 79% of voters here vote Democratic and 21% Republican.
About 44% of adults in 98416 typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98416, ~35% vote Democratic, ~9% Republican, and ~56% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98416 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98416 leans more Democratic than 54 of 55 neighbors.
98416 runs about 40 points more Democratic than Washington as a whole.
Why 98416 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 98416, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 81% of adults in 98416 hold a bachelor's degree, about 53 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Dense areas vote Democratic, and 98416 sits in the top fifth on density (more than 99%, in the top fraction of zip codes). A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 79% of adults in 98416 have never been married, in the top fraction of zip codes.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 98416, WA sits in the top tenth 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 98416 looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 47% of households in 98416 rent, about 22 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Strong routine healthcare access lines up with higher turnout, and 98416 sits in the top quarter on routine-care measures. 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.