98802 leans Republican by roughly 24 points: about 38% of voters vote Democratic and 62% Republican.
About 76% of adults in 98802 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98802, ~29% vote Democratic, ~47% Republican, and ~24% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98802 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98802 leans more Republican than 1 of 5 neighbors.
98802 runs about 42 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98802 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98802. The northeast side is the most Republican-leaning (R+53) and the west side is the least Republican-leaning (R+17), a spread of about 35 points.
Why 98802 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 98802, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98802 votes Republican even though it is densely developed (about 74%, far above the Washington average of 41%). State and regional patterns outweigh the Democratic lean that density usually predicts here. A high family-household share predicts Republican voting, and about 74% of households in 98802 are family households, above 75% of zip codes. 98802 runs against the grain of Washington, a Republican-leaning pocket in a Democratic-leaning state.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; 98802, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Paved ground does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban and built-up a place is.
Why turnout in 98802 looks the way it does
Turnout in 98802 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.