City council elections in Seattle, Washington (2021)

Elections in Washington, 2021

* Election date: Nov. 2
* Registration deadline(s): Oct. 25 (by mail or online) / Nov. 2 (in person)
* Online registration: Yes
* Same-day registration: Yes

* Ballots mailed: Oct. 13[1]
* Voter ID: By mail, no/In person, photo ID
* Ballot return deadline: 8 p.m. on Nov. 2, or postmarked by Nov. 2 if mailed

* * *

Also on the ballot in Washington in 2021: Appellate courts • State ballot measures • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Recalls •

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<- 2019

2021 Seattle elections

Election dates
Filing deadline: May 21, 2021
Primary election: August 3, 2021
General election: November 2, 2021
Election stats
Offices up: Mayor, city council, and city attorney
Total seats up: 4 (click here for mayoral elections)
Election type: Nonpartisan
Other municipal elections
U.S. municipal elections, 2021

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Seattle, Washington's two at-large city council seats, elected citywide, were up for election on November 2, 2021.

Incumbent Teresa Mosqueda defeated Kenneth Wilson for the position 8 seat. Sara Nelson defeated Nikkita Oliver for the position 9 seat. Position 9 incumbent Lorena González ran for mayor in 2021. Mayor Jenny Durkan did not seek re-election. This page focused on the open position 9 race.

Nelson co-owned Fremont Brewing as of the election. She served as a legislative advisor to former councilmember Richard Conlin and placed third in a 2017 at-large city council primary. She said Seattle voters were "tired of the ideological rhetoric and the failed policies that come out of council" and described herself as progressive and pragmatic.[2]

Oliver (they/them), an attorney and the executive director of the organization Creative Justice, was a founding member of the Seattle Peoples Party. They placed third in the 2017 mayoral primary. Oliver said, "Seattle is ready to do the work to address the root causes of the crises that we’re facing [with] solutions that are actually commensurate to its crises."[2]

All four city council candidates filled out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. For select responses, including candidates' key messages, click here. For full survey responses, click candidates' names above to see their profile pages on Ballotpedia.

For coverage of the August 3, 2021, primary election, click here.

Seattle City Council members serve four-year terms. The other seven seats are elected by district, and the most recent elections were held in 2019. Click here for background information on the 2019 elections.

* Click here to learn more about the city's mayoral election.
* Click here to learn more about the city attorney election.

## Contents

* 1 Candidates and election results
* 1.1 Position 8
* 1.2 Position 9
* 2 Candidate profiles
* 2.1 Position 8
* 2.2 Position 9
* 3 Noteworthy endorsements
* 4 Interviews and questionnaires
* 4.1 Belltown United Q&A
* 4.2 The Seattle Times public safety Q&A
* 4.3 International Examiner Q&A
* 4.4 The Urbanist questionnaire responses
* 4.5 Asian Counseling and Referral Service questionnaire responses
* 4.6 Downtown Seattle Alliance
* 5 Campaign themes
* 5.1 Sara Nelson
* 5.2 Nikkita Oliver
* 6 Campaign ads
* 6.1 Sara Nelson
* 7 Debates and forums
* 7.1 October 20, 2021
* 7.2 October 4, 2021
* 7.3 September 30, 2021
* 7.4 September 16, 2021
* 8 Polls
* 9 Campaign finance
* 10 Satellite spending
* 11 Background: 2019 city council elections
* 12 Election history
* 12.1 2019
* 12.2 2018
* 12.3 2017
* 12.4 2015
* 13 About the city
* 13.1 City government
* 13.2 Demographics
* 14 See also
* 15 External links
* 16 Footnotes

## Candidates and election results[edit]

### Position 8[edit]

General election

##### General election for Seattle City Council Position 8 At-large

Incumbent Teresa Mosqueda defeated Kenneth Wilson in the general election for Seattle City Council Position 8 At-large on November 2, 2021.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Teresa Mosqueda (Nonpartisan) |

56.0

| 105,706

| Kenneth Wilson (Nonpartisan) |

43.5

| 82,202
|  | Other/Write-in votes |

0.5

| 881

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Source

| Total votes: 188,789

|
|

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

##### Nonpartisan primary for Seattle City Council Position 8 At-large

The following candidates ran in the primary for Seattle City Council Position 8 At-large on August 3, 2021.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Teresa Mosqueda (Nonpartisan) |

59.4

| 113,052
✔ |

| Kenneth Wilson (Nonpartisan) |

16.2

| 30,862

| Kate Martin (Nonpartisan)  |

11.6

| 21,997

| Paul Glumaz (Nonpartisan)  |

5.4

| 10,228

| Alexander White (Nonpartisan)  |

1.3

| 2,474

| Bobby Miller (Nonpartisan)  |

1.3

| 2,438

| Jesse James (Nonpartisan)  |

1.1

| 2,051

| Jordan Elizabeth Fisher (Nonpartisan)  |

1.0

| 1,810

| George Freeman (Nonpartisan)  |

0.8

| 1,575

| Alex Tsimerman (Nonpartisan)  |

0.5

| 961

| Brian Fahey (Nonpartisan)  |

0.5

| 887
|  | Other/Write-in votes |

1.1

| 2,075

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 190,410

|
|

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

### Position 9[edit]

General election

##### General election for Seattle City Council Position 9 At-Large

Sara Nelson defeated Nikkita Oliver in the general election for Seattle City Council Position 9 At-Large on November 2, 2021.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Sara Nelson (Nonpartisan) |

57.3

| 111,107

| Nikkita Oliver (Nonpartisan) |

42.5

| 82,397
|  | Other/Write-in votes |

0.2

| 363

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. Source

| Total votes: 193,867

|
|

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

##### Nonpartisan primary for Seattle City Council Position 9 At-Large

The following candidates ran in the primary for Seattle City Council Position 9 At-Large on August 3, 2021.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Nikkita Oliver (Nonpartisan) |

40.2

| 79,799
✔ |

| Sara Nelson (Nonpartisan) |

39.5

| 78,388

| Brianna Thomas (Nonpartisan)  |

13.4

| 26,651

| Corey Eichner (Nonpartisan) |

3.5

| 7,030

| Lindsay McHaffie (Nonpartisan) |

1.5

| 3,048

| Rebecca Williamson (Nonpartisan)  |

0.8

| 1,646

| Xtian Gunther (Nonpartisan) |

0.7

| 1,409
|  | Other/Write-in votes |

0.3

| 637

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 198,608

|
|

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

## Candidate profiles[edit]

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[3] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

#### Position 8[edit]

Teresa Mosqueda

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office:

Seattle City Council (Assumed office: 2017)

Submitted Biography: "I grew up in the region, am a third-generation Mexican-American/Chicana, and daughter of educators and activists. I grew up going to rallies and making handmade signs supporting peace and calls for justice I grew up understanding the importance of healthy communities that champion equity. Prior to serving on the City Council, I was proud to help lead Initiative 1433 to provide paid sick and safe leave for all workers in our state and to help pass health care reform in the WA and serve on the Affordable Care Act Exchange Board on behalf of working families, women, POC, and immigrants. I have worked on progressive agendas to ensure the right to a union, lift up low-wage workers, protect immigrant rights, and I intend to continue this trend. On the City Council, we have led tripling the investments in housing, passing better wage requirements for gig and low-wage workers, brought together labor, business, housing, transportation, racial equity and environmental justice advocates to pass the JumpStart Seattle progressive revenue plan and implemented COVID relief in 2020. I am proud of these accomplishments, but there is more to do to create equitable communities and this is what drives me to run again. "

* * *

Key Messages

The messages below are the candidate’s own.

* * *

One of my top three issues is building affordable housing and housing the homeless. In housing - we must build more housing in the city so fewer people are getting displaced and pushed out of the city or into the streets. The lack of affordable housing is causing more workers, and high numbers of workers of color specifically, to be pushed further away from their place of employment and community, causing Seattle to be the third highest mega commuter city in the country. To address this I am proud that JumpStart secured an additional $135 million per year for affordable housing, shelters, homeownership opportunities and more to address the housing and homelessness declared states of emergency.

* * *

My second key message centers around creating a livable and equitable Seattle. A healthy community is where residents feel safe, empowered, and have the resources and infrastructure for self determination and protection from harm. This includes being safe and healthy in our communities, especially for Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) communities. To invest in our community’s health and safety, we must work to expand the capacity of community solutions that move us away from past harmful policing and a reliance on the criminal legal system. This includes deep investment in upstream restorative community-health oriented solutions. As we move away from our reliance on the criminal legal system to address issues that are a pu

* * *

The third key message of my campaign focuses around building a strong economy. The COVID-19 crisis wreaked havoc on our community and local economy. I am proud to have led the passage of the JumpStart progressive revenue bill through a broad coalition of labor, business and community, that brings in over $214 million a year for housing, equitable development and Green New Deal investments. This is the most progressive revenue package that has passed the city council. With the expected infusion of reliable revenue and serving as Budget Chair, I protected against austerity cuts and preserved core services for our most vulnerable, while positioning us to protect and reopen our economy in a more equitable way. JumpStart allowed direct cash supp

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Seattle City Council Position 8 At-large in 2021

Kenneth Wilson

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "My name is Kenneth Wilson and I am running for City Council 8. I am a licensed bridge structural engineer with 30 years of experience working on transportation and infrastructure projects and own a small engineering business since 2005. My current project work includes the pedestrian bridges at Northgate over I-5, which you saw the 235-foot truss in this past weekend and the 125-foot steel girder over the northbound the Sunday before in heavy rain. I am also working on the pedestrian bridges over SR520, the steel truss at Overlake Village Station and at Redmond Technology Station near Microsoft. I completed my master degree in civil engineering at the UW and am a longtime resident of Seattle for over 28 years. Having lived in West Seattle and now in the Wallingford/Green Lake neighborhood with my wife and two daughters, I have a strong appreciation for the City’s many distinct neighborhoods. This past year has demonstrated that our incumbent council does not hold our interests first, instead focusing on political projects. Our council failed us with our infrastructure including cutting West Seattle access, the homeless, and our safety. I am running on an infrastructure platform and am uniquely qualified to help our City’s council ask the right questions, bring rational decisions, and progress control follow up to Council actions. Our City is in the middle of major infrastructure projects and required upgrades that would be supported by my background."

* * *

Key Messages

The messages below are the candidate’s own.

* * *

Mismanagement of Infrastructure

* * *

Increasing Homeless

* * *

Critical Green Canopy and Seattle Development

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Seattle City Council Position 8 At-large in 2021

#### Position 9[edit]

Sara Nelson

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "I’m a lifelong Democrat and moved to Seattle in 1990 to get a PhD in Cultural Anthropology at UW. After teaching Anthropology and Women’s Studies courses for several years, I left academia to have a more direct positive impact on my community through public service and took a position as a City Council Legislative Aide for ten years where I helped pass landmark legislation to increase affordable housing, transit, and climate protections. I met my husband at the WTO protests and we have two teen-aged sons. In 2009, we co-founded Fremont Brewing which is known for giving back to the community, providing extensive employee benefits, and leading the craft beer industry in sustainability. We were hit hard by the pandemic but we managed to retain our employees and increased wages to make up for lost tips. I’m running because I believe Seattle has lost its way. Council’s extremist policies aren’t working, especially for our most vulnerable. I’ll bring the pragmatic, experienced leadership Seattle needs to get back on track. Fun facts: I’m a card-carrying member of the Puget Sound Mycological Society and I love backpacking, foraging, and karaoke (despite being a horrible singer!). "

* * *

Key Messages

The messages below are the candidate’s own.

* * *

Seattle's at a turning point and the stakes are high this election. Voters have a clear choice between more of the same extremist policies and empty rhetoric that have failed us or someone with pragmatic, progresive policy solutions to make Seattle safe and livable -- for everyone.

* * *

I'm focused on restoring trust in local government through accountable, transparent leadership.

* * *

We can do better, Seattle!

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Seattle City Council Position 9 At-Large in 2021

Nikkita Oliver

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "My name is Nikkita Oliver and I use they/them/theirs pronouns. I am an attorney, educator, community organizer, artist, executive director of Creative Justice, adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law, and an artist/writer. I have lived in Seattle, WA for 17 years working in our local public schools, alternative schools, courts, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. I am a part of a dynamic ecosystem of grassroots community organizers who are working towards building a thriving, safer, healthier Seattle for everyone. I did not decide to run for office on my own. Through consultation with elders, community organizers, and young people in our communities I was called to run for Seattle City Council. My goal is to be a microphone or an amplifier for the voices of our most marginalized and vulnerable residents in City Hall."

* * *

Key Messages

The messages below are the candidate’s own.

* * *

Green equitable affordable & social housing development: housing is the greatest crisis presently facing our City and it impacts all facets of life. A lack of access to quality affordable housing impacts health, education and economic opportunity, and systems involvement. Providing social, affordable housing is also a public health and safety strategy. We need to reach our climate goals. Doing so will require us to build all new developments green, as well as strengthen our public transportation infrastructure so that more people can effectively use public transportation rather than single occupancy vehicles.

* * *

Public health & safety and how that is connected to meeting people’s basic needs: when people’s basic needs are met, we build safety. Meeting basic needs is a baseline for community safety. Our city deserves better options than violent policing and mass incarceration as our only choices for public safety. The majority of what we call crime happens because people do not have their basic needs met. In order for us to create the safer city we imagine, we need affordable and social housing, equitable transportation, affordable childcare, fully funded schools with school counselors, restorative justice coordinators, and health services, more culturally responsive and accessible youth programs, health and sex education that teaches healthy relat

* * *

Progressive taxation & revenue generation: when it comes to taxation and revenue generation, WA state is one of the most regressive. This means that the City also relies upon regressive taxes to generate revenue. Ultimately, the burden of taxation is inequitably distributed. We need to build $400 million of affordable housing a year within the City of Seattle for the next 10 years to effectively address the housing crisis as well as invest in our public infrastructure to keep up with development. Those paying the most in taxes are also those most impacted by the lack of affordable housing. We need to tax the wealthy and corporations who have benefited most from the economic boom in our region.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Seattle City Council Position 9 At-Large in 2021

## Noteworthy endorsements[edit]

Links to endorsement lists on candidate websites are included below.

* Nelson
* Oliver

The following table shows endorsements issued after the August 3, 2021, primary. The "Previously endorsed" column shows the name of a primary election candidate if the person or group endorsed a different candidate in the primary.

Noteworthy endorsements

Endorsement  |  Nelson |  Oliver |  Previously endorsed
Newspapers and editorials
PubliCola editorial board[4] |  | ✔  | Brianna Thomas
Elected officials
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.)  |  | ✔  |
Seattle City Councilmember Alex Pedersen | ✔ |  |
Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold[5] |  | ✔  | Brianna Thomas
Organizations
LiUNA Laborers Local 242 | ✔ |  |
IAM Union District 751 | ✔ |  | Brianna Thomas
IBEW Local 77[6] | ✔ |  |
IBEW Local 46[7] | ✔ |  |
Washington Housing Alliance Action Fund |  | ✔  |
SEIU 775 |  | ✔  | Brianna Thomas
Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates |  | ✔  |
APACE  |  | ✔  |
National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington |  | ✔  | Brianna Thomas
Sierra Club Seattle  |  | ✔  |
43rd Legislative District Democrats  |  | ✔  |
Washington Conservation Voters  |  | ✔  |
AFT Local 1950  |  | ✔  |
Upgrade Seattle  |  | ✔  |
Teamsters Joint Council No. 28 |  | ✔  | Brianna Thomas
Seattle Indivisible |  | ✔  |
Washington Bikes  |  | ✔ |
Northwest Carpenters Union  |  | ✔  | Brianna Thomas
Click here to see a list of endorsements in the August 3, 2021, primary|

|

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Links to endorsement lists on candidate websites are included below, where available.

* Nelson
* Oliver
* Thomas

|  Noteworthy endorsements

Endorsement  |  Nelson |  Oliver |  Thomas
Newspapers and editorials
The Seattle Times editorial board | ✔ |  |
The Stranger election control board |  | ✔ |
The Urbanist elections committee |  | ✔ |
PubliCola editorial board |  |  | ✔
Incumbent Seattle City Council members
Seattle Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda |  | ✔ |
Seattle Councilmember Tammy Morales |  | ✔ |
Seattle Council President M. Lorena González |  |  | ✔
Seattle Councilmember Lisa Herbold |  |  | ✔
Seattle Councilmember Dan Strauss |  |  | ✔
Seattle Councilmember Andrew Lewis |  |  | ✔
Other elected officials
State Sen. Reuven Carlyle (D) | ✔ |  |
State Sen. Mark Mullet (D) | ✔ |  |
State Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D) |  | ✔ | ✔
State Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley (D) |  | ✔ |
State Rep. Jesse Johnson (D) |  | ✔ |
State Rep. Tarra Simmons (D) |  | ✔ |
State Sen. Steve Hobbs (D) |  |  | ✔
State Sen. Joe Nguyen (D) |  |  | ✔
State Sen. Mona Das (D) |  |  | ✔
State Rep. David Hackney (D) |  |  | ✔
State Rep. Cindy Ryu (D) |  |  | ✔
State Rep. Liz Berry (D) |  |  | ✔
State Rep. Debra Entenman (D) |  |  | ✔
Individuals
Former Seattle Councilmember Richard Conlin | ✔ |  |
Former Seattle Councilmember Heidi Wills | ✔ |  |
Former Seattle Councilmember Tom Rassmussen | ✔ |  |
Former Seattle Councilmember Jan Drago | ✔ |  |
Former Seattle Councilmember Jean Godden | ✔ |  |
Former Seattle Councilmember Mike O'Brien |  | ✔ |
Former Seattle Councilmember Sally Bagshaw |  |  | ✔
Organizations
Seattle Firefighters Union | ✔ |  |
Seattle's Building Trades Unions | ✔ |  |
Ironworkers Local 86 | ✔ |  |
Seattle Plumbers, Pipefitters, HVAC/Refrigeration Union | ✔ |  |
Sunrise Movement Seattle |  | ✔ |
MLK County Pride At Work |  | ✔ |
Seattle Peoples Party |  | ✔ |
Seattle Democratic Socialists of America |  | ✔ |
Working Families Party \- WA |  | ✔ |
11th Legislative District Democrats |  | ✔ | ✔
King County Young Democrats |  | ✔ |
350 Seattle Action[8] |  | ✔ |
Progressive Voter Guide, Fuse Washington[8] |  | ✔ | ✔
Young Democrats at the UW |  | ✔ |
MLK County Labor Council |  | ✔ |
UFCW Local 21 |  | ✔ |
ATU Local 587 |  | ✔ |
UNITE HERE! Local 8 |  | ✔ |
SEIU Local 925 |  | ✔ |
SEIU Local 6 |  | ✔ |
SEIU Local 1199 NW Healthcare |  | ✔ |
Seattle Education Association |  | ✔ |
AFT Local 1789 |  | ✔ |
UAW Local 4121 |  | ✔ |
WFSE Local 1488 |  | ✔ |
WFSE Local 304 |  | ✔ |
IATSE Local 15 |  | ✔ |
RFPU-NW |  | ✔ |
Book Workers Union |  | ✔ |
IUPAT DC 5 |  | ✔ |
Transit Riders' Union |  | ✔ |
FairVote Washington |  |  | ✔
46th District Democrats |  |  | ✔
36th District Democrats |  |  | ✔
34th District Democrats |  |  | ✔
National Women's Political Caucus of Washington |  |  | ✔
King County Democrats |  |  | ✔
Women of Color in Politics |  |  | ✔
Northwest Carpenters Union |  |  | ✔
SEIU 775 |  |  | ✔
Joint Council of Teamsters No. 28 |  |  | ✔
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Engineers District 751 |  |  | ✔

* The Downtown Seattle Association rated Nelson to be in "Outstanding Alignment." The group rates candidates on how closely they align with its positions based on responses to a questionnaire.[9]

## Interviews and questionnaires[edit]

#### Belltown United Q&A[edit]

Belltown United hosted one-on-one Q&A's with candidates for mayor and council. Click here to view the video.

#### The Seattle Times public safety Q&A[edit]

* Click here to read Position 8 candidates' responses to The Seattle Times' Q&A on public safety.
* Click here to read Position 9 candidates' responses to The Seattle Times' Q&A on public safety.

#### International Examiner Q&A[edit]

Click here to read Q&A responses from Nelson and Oliver.

#### The Urbanist questionnaire responses[edit]

* Oliver

#### Asian Counseling and Referral Service questionnaire responses[edit]

Click here to read responses to the questionnaire from Nelson, Oliver, and Thomas.

#### Downtown Seattle Alliance[edit]

Click here to read responses to the questionnaire from Nelson, Oliver, and Thomas.

## Campaign themes[edit]

### Sara Nelson[edit]

Nelson's campaign website stated the following themes.

“  |

CRISIS BRINGS OPPORTUNITY

WE’VE GOT THE CHANCE FOR A MAJOR RESET IN THIS TOWN AND I’LL BRING THE PRACTICAL, EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP NEEDED TO GET SEATTLE ON THE RIGHT TRACK

Economic recovery is my top priority and it’s time for the voice of small business on City Council to support Seattle’s struggling small businesses and bring jobs back to the downtown core and neighborhood business districts.

Delivering basic city services is the main job of local government and it’s time to refocus parks, libraries, transportation, police and fire instead of frittering away public resources on pet projects.

Trust in government is at an all-time low and it’s time to elect leaders who will be held accountable for delivering measurable results.

Economic Recovery

Our city is facing an unprecedented economic challenge. The COVID pandemic has devastated both families and communities and exacerbated the longstanding challenges to starting and growing a small business in Seattle. As our city comes back to life, it’s crucial that we work together to ensure our economy prospers because our local businesses and workers are the heart of our city. Helping them must be an “all hands on deck” priority. For me it’s all about jobs and sustaining Seattle’s vibrancy and liveability.

Here’s how I’ll help on City Council:

1\. Bring a neighborhood business owner’s perspective

Small businesses create jobs, spur innovation, and make up the fabric of our neighborhoods. But we’re struggling. Thousands of small businesses have closed and tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs. Seattle’s working families are hurting but Council’s not taking meaningful action to help. There hasn’t been a small business owner on City Council since 2009 and I’ll bring that missing perspective. I know what small businesses need and I’ll advance effective policies to help them survive the pandemic and thrive.

* Suspend collection of the B&O tax on businesses in hardest-hit sectors until revenues return to pre-pandemic levels

* Invest in business recruitment to bring jobs back to Seattle

* Allocate more federal and state COVID-relief dollars for direct financial assistance to neighborhood business districts

2\. Get Downtown Seattle back on the right track.

We need a proactive and strategic plan to revive our downtown core which is the economic engine of our region and contributes 50% of the revenue needed to keep our city running. Unfortunately, for years, City Council has neglected to support downtown-area businesses and arts venues which have been devastated by COVID and rising rates of crime. Doing nothing isn’t an option anymore. As we bring workers back, it’s time to address the downtown crime crisis. I will also work to bring needed amenities to the neighborhood, including a downtown school, major grocers, and improved streetscapes and activated open spaces.

3\. Plan for the long-term.

Seattleites will soon return to work and school but achieving a long-term, strong, and equitable recovery will require significant investment and focused leadership. I’m talking workforce Significantly expanding city support of neighborhood business districts, expediting building permits and business licensing, and incentivizing green technologies. Most of all, we must lead with creativity and deliberation to build Seattle back better.

Homelessness

What’s going on in Seattle is more than a political failure – it’s also a humanitarian failure. Spending has doubled, but the number of people experiencing homelessness has skyrocketed. Our homeless neighbors are not a monolithic block, these are individuals with very specific needs. Unfortunately, the city has pursued one-sized-fits-all policies that ignore the realities on the ground. These policies have wasted more than tax dollars – they’ve wasted lives. We can do better. But first, we need to tackle several big challenges:

The City must fundamentally restructure our response to the homelessness crisis and put in place a model proven to work in other cities.

* We must quantify the number of people experiencing homelessness in Seattle, understand why they became homeless, identify their specific needs, and determine the cost to deliver those services and housing. Right now, City spending is based on guesstimates extrapolated from the county-wide Night Out count. For the money we’re spending, Seattle’s unhoused deserve better.

* We must implement individualized case management and a real-time, centralized database or portal that’s accessible to service providers and City agencies to ensure continuity-of-care and help individuals get into the housing that meets their immediate needs. Right now, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand’s doing and there is no coordination among providers.

* The City of Seattle must directly fund mental health and substance abuse treatment services, contract with those providers, and get individuals into that treatment. Right now, King County directs resources for these services and there’s not enough capacity to meet the need in Seattle.

This isn’t rocket science and we don’t have to recreate the wheel. We just have to have the political will do do something different that actually works.

The City must ensure it’s funding truly effective social service organizations and programs, including enforcing the standards it already has. To tackle this difficult problem, Seattle should only partner with organizations with a proven track record of delivering results and implementing metrics to hold them to it. Unfortunately, the city has a poor record on both monitoring and accountability.

Here are my promises to you:

* I’ll work to ensure clear, evidence-based benchmarks. Words aren’t enough – when lives are in the balance, we need to measure result.

* I’ll fight to end the practice of allowing providers to repeatedly miss basic benchmarks without consequences.

* I’ll look for new ways to keep citizens informed about what approaches the city is taking to homelessness; what’s working, and what isn’t. This is a problem we must tackle together. You deserve to know what the city’s doing, what it’s costing, and how it’s turning out.

In the short-term, we should address dangerous living situations with real alternatives.

Unfortunately, it’s increasingly clear that encampments are a safety risk for both residents and surrounding neighborhoods. From exploitation and crimes committed against homeless residents, to property crime issues in surrounding neighborhoods, to health and hygiene issues, encampments are a problem – not a viable solution. Seattle owes it to all of our neighbors, housed and unhoused, to find another plan. Here’s what I believe:

* Every individual deserves safety, dignity, and a fair chance at opportunity. Our current system of unregulated encampments can’t provide any of that. It needs to end.

* The “Housing First” model is the most effective way to provide stability for individuals in crisis.

* Ending encampments can open doors, not close them. We need to give folks a place to go to get off the street and introduce some stability. That means doing a better job of coordinating repeat contact tracking and connecting those who are willing to get help with resources.

* Temporary housing is a crucial part of the solution. “Stopgap” measures like tiny home villages can help provide safer, stabler housing to homeless individuals waiting for permanent placement. That’s where lives change for the better – not under overpasses.

* We must target investment in shelter and permanent supportive housing for women with children. Right now, their numbers far exceed capacity.

In the longer-term, we need more permanent supportive housing and a coordinated regional approach. The truth is, Seattle can’t go at it alone. Most resources related to homelessness are at the county, state, and even federal level. I support working to strengthen those partnerships. Here’s what I will make sure that partnership entails:

* Increase information-sharing between agencies to reduce crossed wires.

* Prioritize securing long-term, stable housing by tracking local need and housing stock. An effective regional system will match individual-level needs with regional resources.

* Invest more long-term resources in providing drug and mental health treatment to those ready to receive it. We know it’s the most single cost-effective ways of ending the cycle of homelessness.

The bottom line: We need to get folks out of tents and RVs. Unregulated encampments are unsafe and inhumane. As we address this crucial public health and public safety issue, it’s important to provide short-term and long-term alternatives for our homeless neighbors. I’ll make sure the city is working with the most effective partners and solutions. Our neighbors, housed and unhoused, deserve nothing less.

Government Accountability

If we want to make real progress, it’s time to address the way the city operates. I believe that government accountability means:

* Rationally and clearly identifying the problem

* Seeking input from all stakeholders to develop effective solutions and minimize unintended consequences

* Justifying the dollars spent to implement those solutions

* And finally, measuring the performance of those solutions and changing course if necessary.

To make that happen, we need to make a few changes:

1\. City Council needs to do a better job of bringing those affected by policies to the table. Seattle is a city full of incredible talent and resources – our neighborhood leaders, non-profits, local businesses, and residents all have something to offer.

2\. I’ll oppose passing quick-fix legislation on big issues without proper input. Unfortunately, on issues like the head tax, City Council often leaps before it looks.

3\. It’s time to stop throwing money at the implementation of the legislation without considering the negative trade-offs.

Public Safety

CALL TO ACTION

ON GUN VIOLENCE, CRIME, AND SPD STAFFING

POLICING: We need to reform the police in a manner that keeps communities safe and holds officers accountable for misconduct — and then fund accordingly. I support a balanced approach to improving the police that has earned me the support of leaders like Rev. Harriett Walden, Founder of Mothers for Police Accountability, and Victoria Beach, Chair of the African American Community Advisory Council.

My opponent’s plan to abolish the police won’t improve public safety nor advance equity. But my plan to reform the police will.:

* Reestablish the Community Policing Teams which served as a liaison between residents, neighborhood business owners, people experiencing homelessness, and patrol officers. This builds trust between SPD and community through familiarity with neighborhood issues and relationship-building.
* I’ll push for improved accountability measures and disciplinary protocols in SPOG’s new contract and tie its renewal with compliance to the terms of the consent decree.
* I’ll push to recruit trainees from Seattle’s majority-BIPOC neighborhoods. This will reduce language and cultural barriers as well as build public trust and improve accountability.
* I’ll advocate to bring back the Seattle Police Academy which provided the de-escalation, anti-bias, and protest management training that isn’t taught at the state-run academy.
* Nearly 100 of the 258 items in the 2017 Police Accountability Ordinance, brought forward by the Community Police Commission, have not yet been implemented. I'll work to identify and implement the most important of these priorities. Community voices matter.

While I do not support abolishing the police, police reform is among my top priorities. Put simply, I believe that everyone who dials 911 has the right to a fast, effective, and fair response. The “fair” part is no less important than “fast” or “effective”. Seattle’s Police Department MUST do better. I’ll work hard from day one to ensure that happens.

GUN VIOLENCE: In the first half of 2021, there were 230 gun assault cases, including 9 homicides – the highest number of incidents in a month since 1984. Clearly we’ve got an emergency on our hands and the only way to reduce gun violence is to treat it as the public health crisis that it is and direct all the resources and policy tools we can at preventing a continued escalation. My approach is simple: fund what’s working and invest in new strategies. But first, City Council needs to step up, speak out, show some heart to the families grieving the loss of a loved one, and most importantly, have the courage to lead on gun violence prevention.

* Identify the community-driven approaches that are working to prevent gun violence, divert people out of the school-to-prison pipeline, support people already in the prison system, and reintegrate people back into the community and invest more funding in the organizations doing the work such as Choose 180 and Community Passageways.
* Support the Silent WAR Campaign to address ongoing violence in the African American community. Founded by Reverend Harriett Walden of Mothers For Police Accountability in 2011, its mission to stop the violence, increase the peace, and break the silence.
* Gender-based violence is a major cause of gun deaths as well as a precursor to homelessness, unemployment, mental illness, addiction, and a continued cycle of violence. So we must do much more to to prevent gender-based violence by targeting resources at survivor-driven mobile advocacy with flexible financial assistance to enable survivors to exit their abuse, preferably before engaging law-enforcement. I will allocate up to $4 million to expand the work being done by the Coalition to End Gender-Based Violence.
* Firearms in the home are a significant risk factor in domestic violence so we need to support research into the effectiveness of firearm removal enforcement in preventing domestic gun violence. This will lend support for expanded public education about Extreme Risk Protection Orders as a tool to get guns out of the hands of people at high risk of harming themselves or others with a gun.
* Get guns off the streets through gun buy-back programs, tightened gun registration laws, and more investigatory resources.
* Prioritize funding for youth violence prevention programs in the Seattle’s Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy.

SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT: You know how when you call 911 because an elderly person collapsed and can’t get up and the paramedics come right away, take vitals, stabilize the person and then rush them to the emergency room? Or you smell gas in your apartment even though your oven’s off and a fire engine comes right away? Or when the lithium battery in your son’s remote-controlled truck starts the house on fire and you hear a siren moments later? Well, I do. I want to talk about the dispatchers, paramedics, firefighters, Health One units, and everyone else at SFD who respond to crises and put their lives on the line to keep us and our loved ones safe because they don’t get the attention or resources they deserve when we discuss public safety.

Seattle’s tremendous growth over the past decade has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of emergency responses, but SFD’s staffing has remained relatively static. In fact, SFD has fewer firefighters than in previous years. On top of that, our homelessness crisis has dramatically increased the number and type of emergency responses, particularly incidents in encampments and abandoned buildings. And then came the pandemic and SFD stepped up to run the cities COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites. All of this has resulted in severe staffing and resources shortage – in personnel and equipment. The Seattle Fire Department is an overlooked but equally critical component of our public safety network. These first responders have come to my aid several times — and Seattle can do better by them. So, I will:

* Fight to ensure they have the resources they need to perform their duties safely (funding the replacement of bunk suits, for example) and that staffing levels keep up with the sharply increasing demand for their services.
* Push for pay increases for paramedics to incentivize the department’s EMTs to go through the additional medical training in order to increase the number of paramedics we’re losing to retirements and meet the rising demand for Medic One responses.
* Advocate for expanded mental health resources and healthcare benefits for all firefighters because the performance of their duties subject them to significant health risks and emotional stress.

HOUSING

Although we’re facing an urgent homelessness crisis, even more Seattleites are at-risk of displacement. Rent and home prices are so high that people across income levels – teachers, firefighters, students, blue-collar workers, retail employees -- find it increasingly difficult to find housing they can afford close to their workplace or even within Seattle. I want Seattle to be a city where my kids can afford to live, not just a playground for the ultra-rich. So, we need more affordable housing but, let’s face it, we won’t be able to subsidize our way out of our housing affordability crisis. What do do?

1\. First we need to retail existing, naturally affordable rental units, over 50% of which are owned by small, mom-and-pop landlords. That means we need to be very careful about measures that make it difficult to rent and maintain their properties. Otherwise, they are forced to sell their properties, resulting in market-rate redevelopment.

2\. Seattle needs to add new family-wage and market-rate housing. I support targeting new housing growth along frequent transit corridors and in urban centers and facilitating the creation of “missing middle” housing such as backyard cottages, duplexes, and townhomes. These housing options also create more paths to ownership because they are generally less expensive than high-rise residential units.

3\. We should fast-track new affordable housing construction. Projects like the Third Door Coalition, which help implement land use and regulatory changes to reduce the cost of affordable units, are key to getting very-low-income and chronically-homeless individuals into stable housing.

4\. We also need to think outside of the box on housing, like legislation requiring that the City have the option of purchasing for-sale multifamily properties in the City for use as affordable housing. I also support a proposal to allow religious organizations to create affordable housing units on their property.

Housing is a complex issue with no silver bullet. But, together, we can make a real dent in our affordability crisis.

Environment

It’s time to put the environment, particularly climate protection, back on the City’s agenda as a top priority. I worked in Councilmember Richard Conlin’s office at a time when Seattle was on the cutting edge of environmental policy. He established the Office of Sustainability and Environment which established the Green Building code. I helped write and advance the legislation to eliminate plans for a third transfer station in Georgetown and mandate recycling and composting. There’s so much more the City must do to advance environmental justice, improve the water quality of our lakes, streams and the Puget Sound, and reduce our carbon footprint. There’s no time to waste and as a lifelong environmentalist, I will act with urgency to reprioritize our stewardship of our air, water, natural resources. Here are ways I’ll start:

1\. Promote and incentivize scalable green technology and renewable energy solutions. Like biodigesters that turn solid waste into energy. Many small businesses like Fremont Brewing want to take sustainability to the next level but can’t afford the expense because these technologies are priced for larger companies. Incentives would grow the market for such technologies which would lower their cost , create jobs, and help protect our planet

2\. Promote the use of Cross Laminated Timber. CLT uses a plentiful renewable resource, wood, to replace concrete in buildings and its production is far less carbon-intensive than producing concrete. Because it’s less expensive than concrete and steel, its use could jump start the construction of affordable housing. It is also more flexible than concrete so it’s better able to withstand damage from the inevitable Big One and smaller earthquakes. Finally, growing the market for CLT would spur the creation of a CLT production facility in Seattle, creating well-paying manufacturing jobs.

3\. Refine and expand the Living Building Pilot project and make it a permanent tool to incentivize greener buildings. Living Buildings standards surpass even the highest level of LEED Buildings in energy and water conservation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction and the use of environmentally friendly building materials. Most important, they are designed to change the behavior of the people in them so that workers and visitors use stairs more often and practice the values of conservation and climate protection in their daily lives.

4\. Incentivize the inclusion of electric vehicle charging stations on private property.

5\. Here in Seattle, we’re long on rain as my mother-in-law from Houston would say. We could be using more of that rain falling on our homes and buildings to water our plants and flush our toilets. I’ll expand the Rain Wise program that incentives homeowners and building owners to collect rainwater from roofs and I’ll strengthen Seattle Public Utilities water conservation incentive program to encourage incentive the use of grey water in buildings.

6\. Work to finish the Missing Link of the Burke-Gilman trail. This project has been in the works for over twenty years and it’s been litigated up the wazoo. We need to encourage more cycling along this corridor to reduce C02 emissions and promote health so let’s get this done already!

7\. Speaking of multimodal, I’ll promote human-powered water transportation as a viable alternative mode of transport for people and goods. We’ve got a lot of waterfront and a lot of private boat docks and marinas but very few publicly accessible facilities to land and secure a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddle board or small sailboat. I also support nascent efforts for a passenger ferry line on Lake Union. Both of these ideas will help people get out of their cars for their commutes which will obviously benefit our air and water and giving people places to launch and moor a kayak for example will also increase recreational enjoyment of Seattle’s gorgeous waterways.

Basic City Services

Local government’s primary responsibility is to deliver basic services. It’s not sexy, but it impacts our daily lives perhaps more than anything else. Unfortunately, with our failing bridges, pot-holed roads, community centers in disrepair, inaccessible parks and open spaces, and communities that don’t feel safe, it looks like Council is asleep at the wheel. I’ll be committed to my job of overseeing and adequately funding core city services. After all, that’s what we pay for. I believe that local government should keep its promises and I’ll fight for the city to keep those promises. Enough said![10]

|  ”

|
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—Sara Nelson's 2021 campaign website[11]

### Nikkita Oliver[edit]

Oliver's campaign website stated the following themes. See their campaign website for links within themes to other platforms.

“  |

Housing For All

Seattle is facing a dire housing crisis that city policies can solve. With the city’s Comprehensive Plan implementation on the horizon, now is the time to think big and bold about housing in Seattle.

Affordable Housing We must rapidly build affordable housing throughout the city by increasing investments in social housing, ending zoning laws which have segregated Seattle, and prioritizing housing for Seattle’s Black Trans & Queer communities.

House our Neighbors The city should invest in green social deeply affordable housing making building, acquiring and preserving affordable units a number one priority. We must also work collaboratively with the King County Regional Homelessness authority to develop comprehensive upstream and downstream solutions that prioritize peer navigators, bridge and supportive housing, hoteling, safe zones, and dignified tiny house villages.

Stop the Sweeps The current city policy of destroying encampments established by the unhoused is cruel, inhumane, and needs to end immediately. We do not have enough housing, non-congregate shelters, bridge and transitional housing for all of our residents who are living outside. Sweeping people with nowhere safer to go is unconscionable and only worsens the public health and safety crisis. Additionally, it makes it near impossible for support workers and peer navigators to find residents once appropriate housing and support options are available.

Radical accessibility The City of Seattle should create a fund inside the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department to support people who use the parks for housing, enabling parks to help sustainably and humanely address the needs of unsheltered people while expanding green spaces in the city and absorbing unneeded roadways. Ending sweeps and utilizing those dollars for garbage pick-up, sanitation, mobile hygiene stations (including showers and clothes washing), accessibility of public restrooms and water stations, and mobile clinics and supports is essential to reduce harm and increase health and safety. We must also leverage harm reduction strategies to immediately improve health and safety outcomes for all of our residents living outside.

Solidify an effective regional approach to addressing the housing affordability and homelessness crisis.

Divest from Harmful Punitive Systems to Invest in Holistic Community Health & Safety

Seattle spends far too much of its revenue on cops and courts, while our communities lack basic necessities. City policies can change to invest in human needs. We must address the root causes of harm, invest in culturally responsive community-led care solutions, and stop punishing people for the failures of the system.

Following the recommendations of Seattle’s 2018 “Workforce Re-entry Work Group,” we must stop criminalizing homelessness and sex work.

We must allocate funds historically used on a problematic model of policing to invest in housing, childcare, and support systems for our youth.

It’s time to end Seattle’s contract with King County Jail.

Seattle can lead on racial justice by ending the practice of collecting city revenue through fines and civil asset forfeiture, and can civilianize 911 for a more effective emergency response.

Environmental Justice

A Seattle Green New Deal can eliminate climate pollution by 2030, address historical injustice and to create thousands of good jobs. SEATTLE FOR A GREEN NEW DEAL has already been leading the way and it is time that the City Council follow the lead of the people.

1\. In a cosmopolitan, 21st century city, public transportation should be universal and free.

2\. To address and alleviate present and historic wrongs, Seattle must formally collaborate with the Duwamish and other Coast Salish nations to arrive at a stewardship plan for Seattle -- a city named for a Duwamish Chief.

3\. To lead a just transition to a sustainable future, Seattle must empower and employ Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and women-led construction companies in building social housing and infrastructure.

4\. Fossil fuels are responsible for 86% of all residential and commercial emissions. The City of Seattle should fund a just transition by replacing fossil gas systems for all low-income residences while requiring commercial buildings to reach Carbon Zero by 2025. Pay for replacing fossil gas systems for all lower income residential buildings and require commercial buildings to eliminate their emissions in five years.

5\. Because transportation is Seattle’s largest source of carbon emissions, we must mandate and incentivize employers to allow workers to labor from home.

Children, Youth, and Families Deserve to Thrive

City policies can give young people, parents, and households the support they need to thrive -- not just survive -- in Seattle.

The COVID-19 pandemic has reintroduced the need for municipal broadband internet. We must identify a funding source and timetable to provide this 21st century infrastructure to a 21st century city.

Instead of cops and security guards, restorative justice coordinators, family support workers, counselors, and healthcare professionals belong in our schools. We can start by increasing funding to the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department’s My Brother’s Keeper and My Sister’s Keeper initiatives.

Elders and children deserve quality eldercare and childcare. Let’s partner with organized labor to raise wages for homecare workers, while eliminating antiquated zoning laws that make childcare facilities in much of the city.

Racial and Economic Justice

The wealth gap in Seattle is unjust and racialized. City policies can help to close it. When we alleviate the burdens of the most marginalized, all will benefit.

Following the recommendations of the City of Seattle’s 2018 “Progressive Revenue Taskforce on Housing and Homelessness,” Seattle must tax the wealthy to support people forced to the bottom of the economy.

Seattle has the power to implement commercial rent control. Especially as we recover from COVID-19, this would help reduce the rates of displacement seen in community small businesses, particularly those in the Central Area and South End.

Gig workers and contract laborers need a comprehensive Freelancer’s Bill of Rights that includes city ordinances ensuring timely repayment, portable benefits packages, and a ban on non-compete clauses that restrict worker mobility.

Following the lead of Evanston, Illinois, Seattle can be the largest city in the nation to provide reparations to eligible Black residents. They can be funded by additional budgetary cuts to the Seattle Police Department negotiated in the biennial negotiations between the City of Seattle and the Seattle Police Officers Guild.

We have much ongoing work to do in addressing the devastating impacts of stolen land and genocide upon the Coastal Salish peoples of our region.

Learn more about Progressive Revenue

Disaster Relief and Preparing for Disasters

When disaster strikes, people with the most wealth have the easiest time, and poor people and BIPOC are in the most danger. City policies could make a difference in preparing all of Seattle for the next time the air is full of smoke, or for when the next pandemic or earthquake hits us.

Ensure a just recovery from COVID-19, so that no one loses housing, people can re-enter the workforce, and COVID-19 doesn’t leave Seattle with even worse racial and gender wealth gaps than we had before.

Ensure racial, economic, disability, and gender justice in Seattle vaccine distribution planning.

Build infrastructure for disasters to come, building out neighborhood hubs and resourcing block-by-block preparations so that everyone has backup sources of water and power, air filters, masks and other necessities for when disaster strikes.

Assume that the federal government responds to disasters slowly and unevenly and prepare for Seattle to shore up our communities (especially those often excluded from federal disaster relief, like undocumented communities) when disaster hits.

Thriving Sustained Local Arts and Culture Community

Local artists and cultural workers are essential to the health of our communities. Arts and cultural practices promote the mental, social and spiritual health of our communities, and access to the arts helps young people thrive.

A thriving creative economy starts with the health and well-being of our artists, cultural workers, theatre workers, contractors and freelancers. The foundation of any community is the people. If we want to have a thriving creative economy it starts with ensuring that the workers have the things they need to thrive. Many workers in our creative economy are freelancers who have little to no control over when they are paid, are subjected to restrictive and exploitative contracts, and do not have access to benefits such as healthcare and paid time off. Everyone deserves the option to work where you want to when you need to, a stable and regular pay schedule, contracts that give workers legal claim to pay and benefits, portable benefits (where necessary and applicable), and protections from retaliation. In order for our local creative economy to be sustainable and thriving, the workers--the people who make our creative economy what it is--must first be sustained and thriving.

Learn more about our Arts Platform

Universal Healthcare

Healthcare is a human right. Access to quality healthcare, including mental healthcare, should not be dependent upon someone’s employment, marital status, immigration status, or gender. Ensuring that everyone has health care prevents expensive emergency room visits, reduces the spread of disease, and improves everyone’s health in the City, as well as reducing contact with the criminal legal system.

Guarantee mental health care to all Seattle residents who want it.

Guarantee full-spectrum health support for all Seattle residents who use drugs who want it.

Guarantee access to gender-affirming health care to all Seattle residents.

Support community schools which would include health services for youth and families.

Democracy and Participation

We need the people of the City, especially working people, to have more say in what goes on in our city. That means how we develop the city, and how we generate revenue and what we spend it on.

Ensuring full transparency and accountability for all aspects of the budget.

Scale up participatory budgeting so that people can spend revenue based on collectively identified community needs.

Build City processes designed for participation and accountability rather than elite control.

Fund neighborhood and community-based trainings for building local mutual aid projects and networks.

Ensure that participation in City processes is accessible to all Seattle residents, reimagining democracy through the lens of universal design.[10]

|  ”

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—Nikkita Oliver's 2021 campaign website[12]

## Campaign ads[edit]

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

### Sara Nelson[edit]

* "Seattle, I Love You, But We Need to Talk" - Nelson campaign ad, released October 13, 2021
* "Seattle, We've Got to Talk" - Nelson campaign ad, released July 19, 2021

## Debates and forums[edit]

### October 20, 2021[edit]

Rainier Avenue Radio hosted a debate. Click here to view a video.

### October 4, 2021[edit]

Inspire Washington hosted a forum focused on the cultural sector. Click here to view a video.

### September 30, 2021[edit]

The Seattle Times hosted a debate on the topic of homelessness. Click here to view a video.

### September 16, 2021[edit]

The Human Services Coalition hosted a forum with mayoral, city council, city attorney, and King County executive candidates. Click here to watch the video.

## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Seattle City Council position 8 election polls

Poll  |  Date  |  Mosqueda  |  Wilson  |  Other  |  Margin of error  |  Sample size  |  Sponsor
Change Research | Oct. 12-15, 2021  | 39% |  31%  |  29%[13] |  ± 4.1  |  617 LV  |  Northwest Progressive Institute
Crosscut/Elway | Sept. 7-9, 2021  | 33% |  17%  | 44%[14] |  ± 5  |  400 LV  |  N/A
Seattle City Council position 9 election polls
Poll  |  Date  |  Nelson  |  Oliver  |  Other  |  Margin of error  |  Sample size  |  Sponsor
Change Research | Oct. 12-15, 2021  | 41% |  37%  |  23%[15] |  ± 4.1  |  617 LV  |  Northwest Progressive Institute
Crosscut/Elway | Sept. 7-9, 2021  | 31% |  26%  | 38%[16] |  ± 5  |  400 LV  |  N/A

Click [show] to see primary election poll results

Poll  |  Date  |  Other  |  Oliver  |  Nelson  |  Thomas  |  Eichner  |  Gunther  |  Williamson  |  McHaffie  |  Margin of error  |  Sample size  |  Sponsor
Change Research | July 12-15, 2021  | 53%[17] |  26%  |  11%  | 6%  |  3%  |  1%  |  0%  | 0%  |  ± 4.3  |  617 LV  |  Northwest Progressive Institute

## Campaign finance[edit]

Campaign contributions for each candidate are below.

Totals include funds from the Democracy Voucher Program. The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission distributed Democracy Vouchers to Seattle residents in early 2021. Each eligible resident received four vouchers worth $25 each. Under the program, residents can give some or all vouchers to city election candidates who are participating in the program.[18] Participating candidates are held to contribution and spending limits, unless the commission releases them from those limits under certain conditions.[19] Democracy Voucher fund totals for each applicable candidate are shown in orange below.

## Satellite spending[edit]

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[20][21][22]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

The following figures were reported as of November 1:[23]

* Change Seattle spent $328,123 opposing Oliver and $32,658 supporting Nelson.

* Civic Alliance for a Prosperous Economy spent $101,038 supporting Oliver and $6,925 opposing Nelson. This group was formerly called Civic Alliance for a Progressive Economy and was active in the 2019 city council elections. Click here for more details.

* National Association of Realtors Fund spent $123,679 supporting Nelson.

* Seattle Fire Fighters PAC spent $49,566 supporting Nelson.

## Background: 2019 city council elections[edit]

See also: City elections in Seattle, Washington (2019)

The 2019 elections for seven Seattle City Council seats took place amid conflict surrounding a 2018 tax on businesses grossing at least $20 million. The city council passed the tax in May 2018 and repealed it the next month following opposition from the business community.[24]

The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce opposed the tax. Its political action committee (PAC), Civic Alliance for a Sound Economy (CASE), received $1.5 million from Amazon—which is headquartered in Seattle—and spent around $2 million supporting and opposing candidates in 2019. The PAC endorsed in all seven races.[25][26] The PAC Civic Alliance for a Progressive Economy (CAPE) formed in 2019, spending around $350,000 in opposition to some CASE-backed candidates and supporting different candidates in five races.

Two CASE-backed candidates (Alex Pedersen and Debora Juarez) and four CAPE-backed candidates (Lisa Herbold, Tammy Morales, Kshama Sawant, and Dan Strauss) won in 2019.

In 2020, the Seattle City Council passed a tax on companies with payrolls of $7 million or more a year. The tax passed on a 7-2 vote with five sponsors, including González. Juarez and Pedersen voted against it. Durkan opposed the ordinance and let it pass unsigned.

CASE announced it would not spend toward the 2021 elections, and as of July 30, 2021, CAPE had not been active in the races.[26][27]

## Election history[edit]

### 2019[edit]

See also: City elections in Seattle, Washington (2019)

The city of Seattle, Washington, held general elections for city council on November 5, 2019. The primary was on August 6, 2019. The deadline for candidates to file to run in this election was May 17, 2019.

### 2018[edit]

See also: Municipal elections in Seattle, Washington (2018)

Seattle held general elections for municipal court judicial seats on November 6, 2018. A primary election took place on August 7, 2018. The top two vote recipients in the primary advanced to the general election. The filing deadline for this election was May 18, 2018.

### 2017[edit]

See also: Municipal elections in Seattle, Washington (2017)

Seattle held general elections for mayor, city attorney, and two at-largeAll registered voters can vote for seats on the ballot in an at-large election. This is the alternative to a "by-district" election, in which only the registered voters of a particular geographic area may vote for a particular seat up for election. seats on the city council on November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on August 1, 2017. The top two vote recipients after the final count of the primary vote advanced to the general election. The filing deadline for this election was May 19, 2017.

### 2015[edit]

See also: Seattle, Washington municipal elections, 2015

The city of Seattle, Washington, held elections for city council on November 3, 2015. A primary took place on August 4, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was May 15, 2015. All nine council seats were up for election.[28][29]

## About the city[edit]

See also: Seattle, Washington

Seattle is a city in King County, Washington. As of 2013, its population was 652,405.[30]

### City government[edit]

See also: Mayor-council government

The city of Seattle uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.[31]

### Demographics[edit]

The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.

Demographic data for Seattle, Washington (2015)

| Seattle| Washington
Total population:| 653,017| 7,160,290
Land area (square miles):| 84| 66,456
Race and ethnicity[32]
White:| 69.5%| 77.8%
Black/African American:| 7.2%| 3.6%
Asian:| 14.2%| 7.7%
Native American:| 0.7%| 1.3%
Pacific Islander:| 0.4%| 0.6%
Two or more:| 6.1%| 5.2%
Hispanic/Latino:| 6.5%| 12%
Education
High school graduation rate:| 93.4%| 90.4%
College graduation rate:| 58.9%| 32.9%
Income
Median household income:| $70,594| $61,062
Persons below poverty level:| 13.5%| 14.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)

## See also[edit]

Seattle, Washington | Washington | Municipal government | Other local coverage

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* 2019 Seattle elections
* Seattle, Washington
* Cities in Washington
* King County, Washington

* 2021 Washington elections
* Public policy in Washington
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## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ King County, "King County Elections Calendar," accessed August 18, 2021
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `tone`
3. ↑ In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
4. ↑ PubliCola, "PubliCola Picks: Nikkita Oliver for Seattle City Council Position 9," October 25, 2021
5. ↑ Facebook, "Nikkita Oliver on October 29, 2021," accessed November 1, 2021
6. ↑ Facebook, "Sara Nelson on October 7, 2021," accessed October 8, 2021
7. ↑ Facebook, "Sara Nelson on October 15, 2021," accessed October 19, 2021
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Seattle Times, "Endorsements roll in for Seattle mayoral, council races," July 15, 2021
9. ↑ Downtown Seattle Association, "Candidate Scorecard," accessed July 16, 2021
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
11. ↑ Sara Nelson's 2021 campaign website, "Issues," accessed October 22, 2021
12. ↑ Nikkita Oliver's 2021 campaign website, "Policies," accessed October 22, 2021
13. ↑ Not sure: 26%
Would not vote: 3%
14. ↑ Undecided: 39%
Neither: 5%
15. ↑ Not sure: 21%
Would not vote: 2%
16. ↑ Undecided: 34%
Neither: 4%
17. ↑ Not sure: 50%
Would not vote: 3%
18. ↑ King5, "Democracy vouchers: Seattle voters will soon have $100 sitting in their mailbox," February 16, 2021
19. ↑ Seattle.gov, "Title 2 - ELECTIONS," accessed June 28, 2021
20. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
21. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
22. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
23. ↑ Seattle.gov, "Ethics and Elections Commission, 2021 IE Committees," accessed November 1, 2021
24. ↑ Geek Wire, "Seattle repeals head tax 7-2 in dramatic reversal that leaves city divided over homeless crisis," June 12, 2018
25. ↑ GeekWire, "Amazon gives $1M to group seeking to upend Seattle City Council in upcoming election," October 15, 2019
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 The Seattle Times, "Seattle businesses and politicians are at odds. The new Chamber CEO is calling a truce," April 10, 2021
27. ↑ Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, "2021 IE Committees," accessed July 2, 2021
28. ↑ City of Seattle, "Law, Rules and Information for Filers," accessed September 19, 2014
29. ↑ City of Seattle, "Seattle City Council Districts," accessed December 31, 2014
30. ↑ U.S. Census, "State and County Quick Facts," accessed September 15, 2014
31. ↑ City of Seattle, "Elected Officials," accessed September 15, 2014
32. ↑ Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

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