98601 leans heavily Republican by roughly 44 points: about 28% of voters vote Democratic and 72% Republican.
About 85% of adults in 98601 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98601, ~24% vote Democratic, ~61% Republican, and ~15% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98601 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98601 leans more Republican than 7 of 8 neighbors.
98601 runs about 62 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98601 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 98601 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 98601, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98601 votes against the grain of Washington. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98601 runs about 62 points more Republican.
Preventive-care access and voter turnout
Places with strong routine preventive-care access tend to turn out at a higher rate; 98601, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Dental visits do not drive turnout; the rate reflects income, insurance, and healthcare access, which line up with who votes.
Why turnout in 98601 looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 97% of adults in 98601 have completed high school, about 5 points above the Washington average of 91%. 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.