South Lake Union is a Democratic stronghold. About 79% of voters here vote Democratic and 21% Republican.
About 49% of adults in South Lake Union typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in South Lake Union, ~39% vote Democratic, ~10% Republican, and ~51% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How South Lake Union compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, South Lake Union leans more Democratic than 2 of 38 neighbors.
South Lake Union runs about 39 points more Democratic than Washington as a whole.
Why South Lake Union leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per neighborhood to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for South Lake Union, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
Areas with high college attainment vote Democratic. About 80% of adults in South Lake Union hold a bachelor's degree, about 52 points above the U.S. average of 28%. Density combined with diversity predicts Democratic voting, and non-Hispanic white share in South Lake Union is about 34%, compared to around 54% in nearby neighborhoods. A high never-married share predicts Democratic voting, and about 69% of adults in South Lake Union have never been married, above 97% of neighborhoods.
Paved land cover and Democratic lean
Places with extensive paved surfaces tend to lean Democratic; South Lake Union, Seattle, WA sits in the top tenth 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 South Lake Union looks the way it does
Renters vote less often than owners. About 93% of households in South Lake Union rent, about 68 points above the U.S. average of 25%. High-crime urban areas turn out at lower rates, and South Lake Union sits in the top 15% on a violent-crime measure. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Belltown, Seattle, WA D+62
- Uptown, Seattle, WA D+69
- Westlake, Seattle, WA D+64
- Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA D+79
- First Hill, Seattle, WA D+69
- Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA D+58
- Eastlake, Seattle, WA D+76
- Central District, Seattle, WA D+80
- Queen Anne, Seattle, WA D+74
- International District, Seattle, WA D+61
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- Nevin, Los Angeles, CA D+45
- East Cambridge, Cambridge, MA D+65
- Hyannis, Barnstable Town, MA D+18
- Naglee Park, San Jose, CA D+53
- East Oak Hill, Austin, TX D+41
- Elmhurst, Providence, RI D+31
- South End, Burlington, VT D+68
- Darlington, Pawtucket, RI D+22
- East Village, San Diego, CA D+44
- Atwater Village, Los Angeles, CA D+53
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.