98801 leans slightly Republican by roughly 8 points: about 46% of voters vote Democratic and 54% Republican.
About 65% of adults in 98801 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98801, ~30% vote Democratic, ~35% Republican, and ~35% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98801 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98801 is the least Republican-leaning.
98801 runs about 26 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98801 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98801. The east side runs the most Democratic (D+6) and the southwest side runs the most Republican (R+34), a spread of about 40 points.
Why 98801 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 98801, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98801 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 73%, far above the Washington average of 41%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. 98801 runs against the grain of Washington, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; 98801, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in 98801 looks the way it does
Areas with limited routine healthcare access turn out at lower rates. 98801 is in the bottom quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. 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.