98853 is a Republican stronghold. About 22% of voters here vote Democratic and 78% Republican.
About 58% of adults in 98853 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 98853, ~13% vote Democratic, ~45% Republican, and ~42% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 98853 compares
Among zip codes within 15 miles, 98853 leans more Republican than 2 of 4 neighbors.
98853 runs about 75 points more Republican than Washington as a whole. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98853 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Politics vary noticeably by block within 98853. The southwest side is the most Republican-leaning (R+72) and the east side is the least Republican-leaning (R+53), a spread of about 20 points.
Why 98853 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 98853, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
98853 votes against the grain of Washington. Washington leans Democratic overall, while 98853 runs about 75 points more Republican. Rural areas with a high white share vote Republican. Non-Hispanic white share in 98853 is about 93%, about 21 points above the U.S. average of 72%.
Paved land cover and Republican lean
Places with little paved surface tend to lean Republican; 98853, WA sits in the bottom 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 98853 looks the way it does
Turnout in 98853 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
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.