98605 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 14 points: about 57% of voters vote Democratic and 43% Republican.
About 71% of adults in 98605 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98605, ~41% vote Democratic, ~31% Republican, and ~28% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98605 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98605 leans more Democratic than 5 of 7 neighbors.
Politically, 98605 sits close to the rest of Washington.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98605. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+19) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (Even), a spread of about 18 points.
Why 98605 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 98605, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 41% of adults in 98605 hold a bachelor's degree, about 12 points above the U.S. average of 28%.
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; 98605, WA sits above the national average on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 98605 looks the way it does
Turnout in 98605 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.