98817 leans Republican by roughly 20 points: about 40% of voters vote Democratic and 60% Republican.
About 81% of adults in 98817 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98817, ~32% vote Democratic, ~49% Republican, and ~19% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98817 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98817 is the least Republican-leaning.
98817 runs about 38 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98817 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 98817 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 98817, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98817 votes against the grain of Washington. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98817 runs about 38 points more Republican.
Walkability and Democratic lean
Places with a highly walkable street grid tend to lean Democratic; 98817, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 98817 looks the way it does
Areas with high high-school completion turn out at higher rates. About 96% of adults in 98817 have completed high school, about 6 points above the U.S. average of 90%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 98817 sits in the bottom quarter on routine-care measures. 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.