98826 leans slightly Democratic by roughly 12 points: about 56% of voters vote Democratic and 44% Republican.
About 77% of adults in 98826 typically vote, above the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98826, ~43% vote Democratic, ~34% Republican, and ~23% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98826 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98826 is the most Democratic-leaning.
98826 runs about 6 points more Republican than Washington as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98826. The southwest side runs the most Democratic (D+28) and the west side runs the most Republican (R+7), a spread of about 35 points.
Why 98826 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 98826, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 47% of adults in 98826 hold a bachelor's degree, about 19 points above the U.S. average of 28%.
Park access and Democratic lean
Places with heavy park coverage tend to lean Democratic; 98826, WA sits in the top quarter nationally on this measure. Park access does not change how people vote; it tends to track denser, higher-income areas.
Why turnout in 98826 looks the way it does
Areas with strong routine healthcare access turn out at higher rates. 98826 is in the top quarter nationally for routine-care measures such as insurance coverage, preventive screenings, and dental visits. The dental-visit rate here is about 73%, about 13 points above the U.S. average of 60%. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 96% of adults in 98826 have completed high school, above 81% of zip codes. 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.