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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington 2025 Primary Election: A look at key races in King County and Seattle
Early results from the Primary Election on Tuesday show some close races-- with Seattle being a hot one. Seattle mayor As of the first returns, incumbent Bruce Harrell is trailing challenger Katie Wilson by nearly 1,300 votes. Both have such a lead that they will appear on the November ballot. Harrell has said that he was to continue working on public safety, and will continue work on addressing housing affordability and issues faced by small business owners. He has been endorsed by Gov. Bob Ferguson, Attorney General Nick Brown and three former Democratic governors, among others. Wilson is the founder and Executive Director of the Transit Riders Union. She studied physics and philosophy at Oxford University before moving to Seattle in 2004. Since moving to Seattle, Wilson has led campaigns to raise the minimum wage and win stronger renter protections across Seattle, Kenmore, Kirkland, Redmond, Burien, SeaTac, Shoreline, Tukwila, and unincorporated King County. Her platform includes tackling 'skyrocketing living costs, homelessness, public safety, and Trump's cruel and chaotic attacks,' she said. Seattle City Council There are three Seattle City Council seats up for grabs, but eyes are on the Council 9 at-large position. This means the seat represents the entire city, not a specific district. Sara Nelson currently holds the seat and is running for re-election. She is also the city council president. Challenger Dionne Foster leads Nelson by 13,735 votes. Foster so far is leading with 53.69% of the vote compared to Nelson's 39.10%. Both will end up on the ballot in November. King County Executive Tuesday's primary elections in King County will include a position that hasn't been on the ballot for more than a decade. Seven candidates are vying for King County Executive, one of the highest-ranking elected offices in the county, which guides policy and budget. It will mark the first time since 2009 that the County Executive position is on the ballot. Current CEO of Sound Transit, Dow Constantine, held the King County Executive seat for fifteen years before stepping down on March 27 to become the public transit company's chief executive. In early results on Election Night, Girmay Zahilay has a lead with 103,471 votes, or 40.39%. Trailing him is Claudia Balducci, with 77,590 votes, or 30.28%. It's likely both will appear on the November ballot. Derek Chartrand, the candidate with the third most votes, trails Balducci by 45,505 votes so far. Zahllay is a former attorney who currently serves as the Chair of the King County Council and sits on the Sound Transit board. Balducci is the former mayor of Bellevue and currently serves on the King County Council. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington Primary Election: Seattle mayoral race
For Washington's Aug. 5 Primary Election, the race for Seattle mayor will look a little crowded on voters' ballots. Eight hopefuls, including current mayor Bruce Harrell who is seeking re-election, will appear on the ballot. The two hopefuls with the highest number of votes in their respective races will move on to the General Election in November. Though the election is non-partisan, most candidates publicly lean to the Democratic party. Ry Armstrong Ry Armstrong is a labor organizer and non-profit co-executive at Sustainable Seattle. According to Armstrong's website, their priorities if elected are building more housing, investing in safety, workers' rights, and affordable child care for all. Armstrong has been endorsed by organizations like LPAC, Run for Something and the National Women's Political Caucus of Washington, among others. Statement: We live in one of the wealthiest cities in history, yet people are still homeless. This is a choice made by our leaders. Born and raised here, I know what this city needs to be for its people, and I'm tired of broken promises from career politicians who are all talk and no action. I am a labor organizer and nonprofit executive who believes Seattle has a future worth fighting for. I will deliver bold, practical leadership that puts working families, renters, and small businesses at the center of policy decisions. I've spent years organizing with unions and currently serve as an elected National Councilor for the AFL-CIO-affiliated Actors' Equity Association, representing over 50,000 unionized creative economy workers in the fight for living wages, workplace safety, and benefits. As Co-Executive Director of Sustainable Seattle, my days are spent managing a multi-million-dollar budget that allows us to fight for environmental justice in our community. To address our livability crisis, I'll prioritize building affordable, sustainable, and accessible housing while safeguarding Seattleites from displacement, including further social housing investments and expanding affordable childcare. To solve homelessness, I will add 1,000 shelter beds in my first 100 days while simultaneously investing in data-driven, long-term wraparound solutions. To improve our city's public safety, I believe in refocusing our efforts on providing the right response to promptly address the needs of our neighbors, so we can help people instead of perpetuating a broken system. Let's build a Seattle that listens to everyone and leads with compassion. This election is an unapologetic fight for not 'One Seattle,' but all of Seattle. Real change takes real courage. I ask for your vote to build a city that works for all of us. Read more about the candidate on their website here. Clinton Bliss Dr. Clinton Bill is a small business owner and Primary Care Physician in Wallingford. His stated top priorities include restoring public safety and civility, using public funds to benefit all, and ending economic favoritism in government. Statement: Hello, I am Doctor Bliss, a primary care physician in Seattle and small business owner. Our business values are Quality, Compassion, Service, and Integrity and you can see them reflected in our Google reviews. I have a lifetime of leadership and public service. I am running for mayor to end the tearing down of our lives, families, country and our system of governance and replace these with a new paradigm of positive change. One of our biggest problems is that we blame each other for problems that are based on our system of economic inequality and favoritism in our government, our courts and our schools. Our system of legalized bribery of public officials through campaign donations followed by payback with public funds is inherently unjust and wasteful. When we rectify this problem, there will be less waste, more cooperation, and real representative government. My top priorities are to restore public safety and civility, use public funds to benefit all, and end economic favoritism in government. My campaign does not rely on donations from any group or business and is entirely volunteer driven so I am free to fully represent you the voter. If elected I would work to: Build shelter space so anyone experiencing homelessness has somewhere to go; help those struggling with addiction and mental illness; arrest criminals; end graffiti; end the wasteful and ineffective war on drugs; use our libraries and community centers as a resource for students where our public schools fail to educate; create zoning that values density, green spaces, planting trees, and mixed use with close proximity of housing, businesses and shopping; and, last but not least, replace noisy, dirty, and unsafe transportation with clean, quiet affordable transportation now! Read more about the candidate on their website here. Bruce Harrell, incumbent Harrell has said that he was to continue working on public safety, and will continue work on addressing housing affordability and issues faced by small business owners. He has been endorsed by Gov. Bob Ferguson, Attorney General Nick Brown and three former Democratic governors, among others. Statement: With your support, we will continue overcoming challenges– and building a brighter, more equitable future. Since 2022, we've helped thousands of vulnerable people access housing and shelter– supporting an 80% reduction in unauthorized tent encampments citywide. Crime rates are lower, we're rebuilding police staffing, and CARE Department responders trained in de-escalation are assisting people in crisis. We've made unprecedented investments in affordable housing, climate action, transit and transportation. Let's keep working together for a stronger, united Seattle. I am a Seattle Public Schools and UW graduate, lifelong Seattle resident, and father deeply committed to the diversity and dynamism of our city. With your vote I'll continue to focus on outcomes, make no excuses, and seek bold, transformative change. I am committed to action on housing– directing over $1 billion to create thousands of affordable homes, and improve supportive housing availability and staffing. I've eliminated barriers to housing construction, and passed nation-leading Green Building standards. I will continue working for affordable communities, while connecting unsheltered neighbors with resources. I'll keep improving public safety– having delivered on promises to establish an unarmed behavioral health response unit, hire more– and more diverse– officers, reduce response times, and crack down on drug trafficking. A lifelong advocate for youth, I'm committed to reducing gun violence in our schools and communities. Moving forward, we will accelerate programs that keep us safe and healthy. I will continue protecting Seattle– challenging Trump administration efforts to disrupt Seattle's stance as a welcoming city for immigrants, LGBTQ, and BIPOC communities. I'll ensure our rights and laws are respected. Endorsements: Governor Ferguson; Attorney General Brown; Senator Cantwell; Congressmembers Jayapal, Smith, Strickland; former Governors Inslee, Locke, Gregoire; MLK Labor, Building Trades, ATU 587, Machinists 751, Seattle Fire Fighters; Environmental and Housing leaders; Transportation4Washington; WA Bikes, and more! Read more about the candidate on his website here. Joe Mallahan As a former Senior Executive at T-Mobile and a UW Alum, Joe Mallahan hopes to improve public safety, reduce homelessness, and improve affordability. Statement: Seattle is a city with strong values—but city government has fallen behind on acting on those values. I'm running for Mayor because I believe we can live up to our ideals. With a highly efficient city government, Seattle can be a progressive model for the nation—an alternative to the chaos and cruelty of MAGA politics. As Mayor, I'll make the city work for all of us. We need to vastly improve public safety, and we need civilian oversight of our police department. I'll complete 50 patrol ride-alongs in my first year to get grounded in the realities of public safety. We need to improve affordability and radically reduce homelessness. I'll cut red tape that delays building housing, invest in projects that serve working families, and leverage federal tax credits to build affordable homes faster. I will expand access to mental health and addiction treatment, and I will deliver 5,000 more emergency shelter beds within my first year—you can't treat addiction and mental health when people are living on the streets. I have always been a change agent. As a business president, I turned around two different mid-size businesses by working shoulder-to-shoulder with frontline employees. As a VP at T-Mobile, I transformed how we served millions of low-income customers by listening to frontline employees and driving bold innovation. And as a community organizer, I brought people together to solve big urban problems. I care deeply about Seattle and the people who call it home. We can tackle homelessness with compassion and accountability. We can reform public safety with urgency and integrity. And we can make Seattle affordable again—without sacrificing who we are. I would be honored to earn your vote. Joe Mallahan Read more about the candidate on his website here. Joe Molloy Joe Molloy is a self-proclaimed housing and disability advocate with a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, with a Concentration in Community Development. He was previously employed as an Operations Manager, Current Concessions at T-Mobile Park. Statement: I'm Joe Molloy — a housing and disability advocate, a visionary systems-thinker, and a leader shaped by lived experience on the frontlines of broken systems. I'm not a career politician, but a public servant — running for Mayor with a profound sense of urgency and purpose. I moved to Seattle with intention — believing it to be one of the few places in the world where people like me could fully be themselves. Many of us came here drawn by that same promise. But the truth is clear: our systems don't reflect our values. Not yet. I believe they can — if we are brave, willing, and committed to real change. This campaign isn't just about ending homelessness. It's about making sure the possibility of becoming homeless no longer exists. That means building a city with universal access to housing, health care, crisis response, and social support — a city that works for all of us. Seattle can be the first city in the nation to eliminate homelessness — and show the world how it's done. When we do that, we don't just solve one crisis. We build a foundation for a safe, sustainable, and thriving future. I have lived the consequences of our city's and our nation's broken systems — from housing to health care to public safety. That lived experience informs my leadership and drives my clarity of vision. Our campaign is here to transform that pain into policy, and build systems rooted in dignity, equity, and care. This is not just about policy — it's about purpose. Seattle is ready for leadership that knows the stakes, sees the path forward, and refuses to leave anyone behind. Read more about the candidate on his website here. Thaddeus Whelan As a Management Program Analyst for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Thaddeus Whelan has a background in Army Intelligence and a B.A. from the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He hopes to focus on affordable housing, public transit, safety, and security for Seattle. Statement: Seattle, much like the rest of the nation, is going through a crisis of identity in the modern era. Even as corporate profits soar, the people of the city see none of the benefits as they are priced out of their homes, further isolated by lessened public transit, and depressed by a system that seemingly isn't interested in caring for them. We have to decide if we are going to be a city for the richest among us or for everyone, and I wholeheartedly choose the latter. I am running for Mayor for many reasons, but my overall goal is one of service. I've spent my entire young life in service to the people, and I see this as a continuation of that aim. I want to build a city that welcomes its citizens with affordable housing, robust public transit, safety, and security in the future for both them and their family. That means attacking housing costs problems at their source; supply. It means expansion of the Light Rail and bus routes faster than ever before. It means holding our public safety and government entities to a higher standard. It means supporting and expanding the personal liberties of the citizens of Seattle, and protecting them and their rights from being infringed upon, whether that be from the federal government or their landlord. For far too long we have been forced to treat our government with contempt, hoping that the decisions made by them don't hurt us too much. It's time we flipped that paradigm, and fight for every inch we can get for our people. It's time to believe in something better. It's time to believe in Seattle. Read more about the candidate on his website here. Isaiah Willoughby Isaiah Willoughby is an entrepreneur who is running on a platform of restoring 'power to the people'. He hopes to rely on transparency, grassroots collaboration, and data-driven solutions to champion affordable housing, public safety, and an economy that uplifts working families and small businesses. Statement: 'My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. This passage from Isaiah 42 not only anchors my faith—it shapes my calling. Like the servant described in this scripture, I am moved by a deep purpose: to bring justice to our city, to uplift those who feel unheard, and to walk in humility and strength as a light in challenging times. My campaign is rooted in these values—compassion, courage, and a steadfast commitment to the people of Seattle. I'm Isaiah Willoughby, and I'm running for Mayor of Seattle to restore power to the people—where it rightfully belongs. As a graduate with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Real Estate from North Seattle College, I bring both lived experience and technical knowledge to tackle one of our city's greatest challenges: housing. I understand the systems, the barriers, and the opportunities—and I'm ready to use that insight to create real, lasting change. My mission is to build a city that works for everyone, not just the well-connected few. Through transparency, grassroots collaboration, and data-driven solutions, I will champion: Housing that's truly affordable; Public safety rooted in community trust; A city economy that uplifts working families and small businesses This campaign is more than a bid for office—it's a movement. A movement to make government accountable, accessible, and responsive to the voices of everyday residents of Seattle. With 'The People's Voice' as our banner, we will ensure that policy decisions are shaped not in backrooms, but in open forums—by the people, for the people. Together, we will lead Seattle toward a just, vibrant, and inclusive future—one where justice flows like a river, and the voices of the overlooked are heard and empowered. Read more about the candidate on his website here. Katie Wilson Katie Wilson is the founder and Executive Director of the Transit Riders Union. She studied physics and philosophy at Oxford University before moving to Seattle in 2004. Since moving to Seattle, Wilson has led campaigns to raise the minimum wage and win stronger renter protections across Seattle, Kenmore, Kirkland, Redmond, Burien, SeaTac, Shoreline, Tukwila, and unincorporated King County. Her platform includes tackling 'skyrocketing living costs, homelessness, public safety, and Trump's cruel and chaotic attacks.' Statement: Career politicians want to protect the status quo, but it's clear the status quo isn't working. Seattle is a great city, but it's becoming less livable. Working families are struggling. More people are unsheltered than ever before. We deserve a mayor who's not distracted by cronyism and scandals, one who will focus on tackling the major challenges Seattle faces: skyrocketing living costs, homelessness, public safety, and Trump's cruel and chaotic attacks. This is your city — and we can do better. I've spent my career fighting alongside the people who make our city run to win major victories for working families: the highest minimum wage in the country, stronger protections for renters, affordable fares for transit riders, and the landmark JumpStart tax on wealthy corporations, which prevented devastating cuts during the pandemic. As your mayor, I'll create 4,000 units of emergency housing to reduce unsheltered homelessness. I'll invest in alternatives to police response for nonviolent calls so SPD can focus on serious crime. I'll expand mental health and addiction treatment. I'll support small businesses and create good, green jobs. I'll build on the gains we've made for our city's workers, and raise new progressive revenue to protect vulnerable communities from Trump's cuts. Voters have twice supported social housing, by a landslide; Seattle deserves a mayor who will work to make it successful, not undermine it. Seattle can have abundant and affordable housing, great public spaces, high-quality schools, world-class mass transit, and vibrant neighborhoods. You shouldn't need a six-figure income to feel at home here. This is your city — a city that we can build, together. With your vote, we can have a true champion for working families and a coalition-builder in the mayor's office. Endorsed by King County Democrats, UAW 4121, and many more listed at Read more about the candidate on his website here. When do polls close? You can check your voter registration status here. If you are registered to vote, your ballot will be mailed to you automatically. Typically, you will have until 8 p.m. on Primary Election day to either have your ballot postmarked or dropped off in one of the ballot drop boxes. Solve the daily Crossword
