98612 leans Republican by roughly 16 points: about 42% of voters vote Democratic and 58% Republican.
About 81% of adults in 98612 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98612, ~34% vote Democratic, ~47% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98612 compares
98612 sits in a sparsely populated area with few comparable zip codes nearby.
98612 runs about 33 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98612 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98612. The northwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+26) and the southwest side is the least Republican-leaning (R+8), a spread of about 18 points.
Why 98612 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 98612, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98612 votes against the grain of Washington. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98612 runs about 33 points more Republican.
Park access and Republican lean
Places with low park coverage tend to lean Republican; 98612, WA sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 98612 looks the way it does
Turnout in 98612 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.