ELECTION 2019 UPDATE: 4th & 5th rounds of results

checkbox.jpg3:36 PM: Just released: The 4th round of results since voting ended Tuesday night, first of two updates promised today. Here’s where Seattle City Council District 1 (West Seattle/South Park) stands:

Lisa Herbold – 18,460 – 55.36 %
Phil Tavel – 14,764 – 44.28 %

That’s roughly double the margin she had after yesterday’s count. And that means the incumbent has sewn up the win, as the number of D-1 ballots left to count is about 2,600, smaller than the number by which she leads. (added) One more D-1 note – with 37,000+ ballots cast in this election, that’s a third-plus more than the 27,000 cast in 2015, when Herbold won by 39 votes.

And in other results, Kshama Sawant is now leading in D-3, by 500+ votes. The only other district that was in play appears to be settled – in D-7, Andrew Lewis (behind by a few votes on Election Night) is now 1,400+ votes ahead of Jim Pugel.

In the statewide measures, (update) Referendum 88 is now too close to call; I-976 approval is still well ahead, though the gap closed a bit more.

WHAT’S NEXT: King County Elections plans to release one more set of results by 8:30 pm, and says that will be less than half the size of this one. As noted above, ballot-return statistics indicate a little over 2,500 ballots remain to be counted in D-1.

8:29 PM: That next round is now up. In D-1:

Lisa Herbold – 19,647 – 55.63 %
Phil Tavel – 15,542 – 44.00 %

That leaves about 2,500 D-1 ballots yet to be counted. … For those watching the D-3 race, Kshama Sawant now leads Egan Orion by more than 1,500 votes. … The next results won’t be out until Tuesday, since Monday is Veterans Day.

9:55 PM: It’s been pointed out that we were using the wrong stats to calculate what’s left to count. Not all ballots have votes in all races. So with 36,853 *ballots* counted in D1, and 37,736 ballots received, there are actually fewer than 900 remaining to be counted.

ADDED SATURDAY MORNING: Phil Tavel has just sent this to his campaign mailing list:

First of all, I want to thank you so much for all of your support during my campaign. My supporters are the reason I ran – to help make the community better for us all. The way that the community stepped forward to support me over the past year is truly humbling.

Unfortunately this time around, we came up short. While things didn’t end up the way we had hoped, I am proud of the campaign we ran and forever grateful for the backing I had every step of the way.

I’m going to take some time off and spend some time with my family, but I look forward to seeing what other opportunities arise in the future. My commitment to our community has not diminished, and I want to thank you again for believing in me.

122 Replies to "ELECTION 2019 UPDATE: 4th & 5th rounds of results"

  • Chris Stripinis November 8, 2019 (3:40 pm)

    Woo-hoo for Herbold and Sawant!

    • Peter November 8, 2019 (4:46 pm)

      Meh. Woo-hobo for not Tavel at best. 

    • Deborah Mary Clouse November 17, 2019 (5:45 pm)

      ?

  • craig peterson November 8, 2019 (3:42 pm)

    Way to go Herbold!  Corporations are NOT people and should stay out of elections. 

    • James Clark November 8, 2019 (4:16 pm)

      How about out of state pac money too

    • Nobody November 13, 2019 (7:48 pm)

      The corporations are leaving Seattle. Enjoy paying more taxes!

  • m November 8, 2019 (3:46 pm)

    Sawant? Really? I’m really embarrassed by that. Super sad.  

    • jno November 8, 2019 (4:57 pm)

      Feelings and dollars don’t win elections. Votes do.

    • Gizmo November 10, 2019 (5:49 am)

      Egan Orion took max donations from right wing conservatives, some that were instrumental in supporting attempts to enact bathroom bills barring the trans community from using their bathrooms of choice, among the other anti-LGBTQ+ positions that you would expect from people with that particular idiology. Like barring the LGBTQ+ from adopting or arranging the birth of their own children. A gay man, Egan had posted a public Facebook plea as early as last year for a “United Colors of Benetton” baby, via an egg donor of color(ish). He wished his donor to be darker, but not too dark. Distinct features, but not fat, possibly Italian, or Latino, or Native. It was gross. Egan also spent lots of time either forgetting how campaigns worked, or willfully flouting campaign public disclosure laws – and paid $1000 in fines. There were other violations too  Egan consistently misrepresented the source of the money donated to his campaign, inisiting his donations were all from local individuals, when in fact he was accepting direct donations from CASE and every big business in our area, Amazon, Microsoft, and more.Big money corp boardrooms across the NW tech sector and other rich conservatives may have howled with rage at the defeat of the flash mob organizer cum politician, because Egan was down to push their antilabor, antihomeless, pro police, anticonsumer agenda — but for many of us, those who canvassed, called, and supported Kshama however we could, had an incredible night last night celebrating her win. Aso, Tammy Morales is AMAZING. We are heartbroken about Shaun Scott’s loss and we desperately hope to see him run again.Evil lost big, and we’re very happy about it. 

  • Jort November 8, 2019 (3:48 pm)

    Looks like Seattle wasn’t “dying,“ after all. We have now had a comprehensive vote on this endlessly debated topic and the results are overwhelmingly clear: the citizens of West Seattle have spoken and they did not choose the fearmongering, “lock up the homeless” candidate. The results are — again — overwhelming and clear.  This election was relentlessly cast as “a decisive battle for the soul of Seattle.” This election is your official notice that this has been overwhelmingly decided in one direction.

    • M November 8, 2019 (4:21 pm)

      Am I the only person who has ever actually walked down 3rd ave since this city council regime took over? Seattle is very clearly dying. At some point this city will run out of other people’s money. When did pro business become such a bad thing? It’s truly bizarre. 

      • Felix Grounds November 9, 2019 (6:15 pm)

        Seattle is neither dead nor dying!

    • phineas freak November 8, 2019 (4:23 pm)

      If Tavel had any class he would have conceded already. The desperation is palpable. 

    • Irwin Fletcher November 8, 2019 (9:14 pm)

      Winning by a few points is hardly overwhelming. 

    • Mto November 9, 2019 (8:48 am)

      Seattle citizens deserve all the homeless,  dirty RVs, theft, crime, ect.they keep voting in total worthless wack jobs.Seattle is dead Decaying and a disaster and now it will continue its downward slide. Thx god I’m only here a little . When I’m on my ranch I laugh at the nonsense you liberal voters bring on to yourselves. !

      • Jort November 9, 2019 (9:06 am)

        Howdy, pardner! Have fun on the ranch! Yeeeeeehawwwww!!!! Don’t step on a needle on your way out of the “decaying disaster” of Seattle!

        • Mto November 9, 2019 (11:24 pm)

          Hey jort.I almost feel sorry for you.I’ve got no neighbors,  no needles and 5000 acres of pure bliss!.Enjoy the traffic and RVs.I’ve never seen anything like your dying city. .

      • KM November 9, 2019 (9:50 am)

        Why are people who don’t live here so obsessed with us (and also have terrible punctuation?) Will happily accept our wealth in the form of tax subsidies, but claim it’s a totally awful place? It’s comedy gold.

    • Bradley November 9, 2019 (1:30 pm)

      4 new councilmembers in one election is quite a change. But Seattle will die that much quicker with Herbold and Sawant doing their best to destroy it.

  • Jort November 8, 2019 (4:00 pm)

    Forgive me for being a little exuberant, but we have all spent the better part of a year listening to noisy voices that promised with absolute certainty that this was a “wave election” that was going to wipe out all of Seattle’s “leftist excesses.” I mean — the stupid “documentary,” the pandering Seattle Times coverage and editorials, the comment sections, the radio commentary, corporations instructing their employees to vote a certain way. This is an overwhelming, total and crushing defeat for that side. It is impossible to overstate just how decisive and clear it is that the “Safe Seattle” side is an extreme, fringe minority in Seattle. Can we PLEASE stop with these endless comments predicting the imminent annihilation of this city because of the homeless people people hate looking at? My god we’ve talked about it FOREVER and the election  could not have made the public’s views on this any more clear. The message has been sent loud and clear! We want a MORE liberal city council — NOT LESS.

    • Kim November 8, 2019 (9:29 pm)

      Well said. Vehemently agree.

    • D-burger November 9, 2019 (5:53 pm)

      Jort, I fail to see how close races are overwhelming races. 55-45, in the case of District 1, is hardly a landslide victory. And Sawant’s race isn’t decided yet, it’s only 500 votes in her favor. Those are not overwhelming numbers, especially when you consider the number of people who don’t vote because they don’t think they’re vote matters. You would do well to show a bit more grace and troll people less.

  • Dems November 8, 2019 (4:16 pm)

    Concession time

    • Jort November 8, 2019 (4:31 pm)

      In his video on Election Night, perennial failing political candidate and pizza parlor trivia host Phil Tavel said that many supporters had promised “to move out of Seattle”  if he lost. I look forward to welcoming some new neighbors who don’t hate where they live! Welcome, friends, to our overwhelmingly liberal city!

  • Lola November 8, 2019 (4:29 pm)

    Looks like Seattle may fully well be dead.  No change in the City Council means that we must endure more of the Same Old Same Old.  No change here.  No Help for our city.  Just keep taking from the middle class. 

    • Jort November 8, 2019 (4:50 pm)

      No! That’s the thing! No, Seattle IS NOT DEAD! You guys tried this line for, like, an entire year and people did not buy into it! Your side got blown out of the water — like — overwhelmingly! You might think Seattle is “fully well” dead, but here in reality world, where we real, reality-based people live and vote, we’re doing great! Respectfully: please please please can we just stop with this “Seattle is dead” stuff! Oh my gosh! We literally voted on this!

    • Steve November 8, 2019 (5:01 pm)

      And this is how district voting has destroyed the Seattle government.  Get ready for more taxes, no accountability, more czars, and more incompetence! 

      • Sixbuck November 8, 2019 (7:18 pm)

        In all fairness, city government was destroyed even before district voting began. 

      • Canton November 8, 2019 (10:00 pm)

        District voting essentially, stripped people of city wide views on council priorities. With only one council person involved, per district, it narrows accountability. We should be able to vote on all districts of our city. 

        • jno November 9, 2019 (10:18 am)

          This is false. District elections make council members more accountable to the people they directly serve, rather than only to the biggest donors who were necessary to afford a citywide campaign. As we’ve seen this cycle, they make it more difficult to just buy a seat. Also, there are still two seats that are elected citywide, so technically everyone has three members representing them.

    • Alki Homeowner November 8, 2019 (5:13 pm)

      You don’t want to tax corporations or the mega-rich…who else should be taxed?  The poor?  Make up your mind or move.

    • Felix Grounds November 9, 2019 (6:21 pm)

      Nope, still alive and kicking sister!!

  • BJ November 8, 2019 (4:49 pm)

    Herbold is really getting re-elected.  I’d vote for a potato to replace her.  I’m embarrassed of this city and I guess I’ll continue to be.

  • m November 8, 2019 (5:18 pm)

    I have gone through the full range of emotions during these elections results. I have experienced happiness, despair, joy, and anger. Right now I mostly feel anger, but that’s not why I’m commenting. I’m commenting because there is something that everyone who is commenting has missed. We should be grateful to everyone who has run. They did an incredibly brave thing by putting themselves, their ideas and their families into the public spotlight. You don’t have to agree with their ideas/politics, but you must understand what an enormous undertaking it is to run for public office.  Evening if your campaign is not subject to public scorn or ridicule, it is still taxing. So please remember that the candidates you hoped to lose are people too. They gave you something people who are not in free countries fight to have. They gave you a choice. So please be kind in losing and winning.

    • Nolan November 8, 2019 (6:05 pm)

      There is nothing noble or respectable about running a campaign to exploit the worst impulses of anti-tax and anti-homeless zealotry. Kindness demands nothing less than to call out policies that would inflict violence on our most vulnerable citizens and to fight on their behalf, as District 1 did this election cycle.

      • M November 8, 2019 (7:04 pm)

        You must have been watching a different campaign and election than i was because i didn’t see that out of either candidate. I did see more nastiness from the Herbold camp though but take that as you will. I really don’t think that policies as for the law to be enforced is causing violence. In fact, it may even prevent violence by getting repeat offenders off the street and the help they need. Kindness is sometimes holding people responsible for their actions and then helping them get back on their feet. Kindness is also making sure that those who have been wronged receive justice. I hope you can see the otherside’s point Nolan. I think you may learn alot.

      • OddPlaceThis November 8, 2019 (8:35 pm)

        The word “violence” actually has a meaning.  Asking people to make an effort to live within the rules of a civil society, and enforcing consequences if they don’t, is not violence.  Many years ago I was a junkie living in a much less accommodating place than Seattle.  I am so glad I didn’t go through that here and now because I would have probably never gotten clean.

        • Nolan November 8, 2019 (8:45 pm)

          You’re right, violence has a meaning! Let’s look at what Encyclopedia Britannica has to say on the topic, shall we?

          Violence, an act of physical force that causes or is intended to cause harm. The damage inflicted by violence may be physical, psychological, or both.”

          Taking someone’s property and forcibly removing them from the closest thing they have to a home? That’s unequivocally violence. You might not be used to thinking in those terms, but it’s violence all the same. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs puts shelter at the first tier, and sweeps take that away from them. They need stable housing, not to be kicked when they’re down.

          • West Seattle Love November 9, 2019 (8:55 am)

            Nolan, you seem to be suffering from anger and a closed mindset. You that think other people are stupid or idiots because they don’t share your views. You pretend to be so accepting and kind and yet can’t think for just a moment about those you disagree with and how they believe their ideas are just as just as yours. You need for your anger and self righteousness. You are no better than anyone else here in this comment section regardless of the views you hold. 

          • Nolan November 9, 2019 (10:38 am)

            Why are you not angry about systemic violence being inflicted on our city’s most vulnerable people? Why do you think the people advocating for that violence deserve respect for their “views”?

            Those people aren’t merely stupid, they’re maliciious, and your holier-than-thou, head-in-the-sand approach only enables them. Silence never helps the oppressed, only the oppressor.

  • Mike November 8, 2019 (5:27 pm)

    Is there a reason JORT is allowed to harass people on here?

    • Alki Homeowner November 8, 2019 (6:30 pm)

      It’s not harassment, it’s free speech and it is factual. You were wrong and lost. Get over it. Try a different tactic when Tavel runs again next time.

    • not jort November 8, 2019 (6:53 pm)

      Jort may not be the kinda person you want to kiss on a first date (not that I’d know), but tasteless crowing and preening isn’t the same thing as harassment.

      • Jort November 8, 2019 (10:09 pm)

        What better time than this very moment to enjoy the sweet fruits of an overwhelming victory in the face of such prolonged, arrogant certainty? Let liberals have their moment — they ended up being right and the entire Seattle media and business establishment was astonishingly wrong. Seattle did want a change — to be more liberal. The homeless debate, the head tax, the “socialist” “clowncil,” the “real voters” … all of this was a fiction and was decisively rejected. It is difficult to overstate just how overwhelmingly rejected the mainstream viewpoint was with this election. It was catastrophically off base. It is time to remind everyone who bought into this fiction that they were fully and completely rejected without qualification. 

        • Jon Wright November 9, 2019 (12:09 am)

          To that end (the entire Seattle media and business establishment being astonishingly wrong) I like to imagine Frank Blethen in a fury, seething about how poorly his Seattle Times council endorsements did compared to those of The Stranger.

  • Rick November 8, 2019 (5:39 pm)

    Seattle is not dead. Unless you count brain dead.

  • Duwamesque November 8, 2019 (6:05 pm)

    There must be a middle ground here. “Seattle ia dying” is hyperbole, but there is a serious public safety problem in many parts of thr city. It’s unfortunate that this has to be reduced to a right-left dichotamy. The pro-business wing of the Council cannot be the only voice concerned about public safety. That would be a missed opportunity. We need progressives in elected government who care about equality but also care about the state of lawlessness some parts of this city have been consumed by. These are real issues. People need affordable housing and safe streets.

    • Nolan November 8, 2019 (6:19 pm)

      Right now, we are in the middle ground: we have studies to show that housing first and safe injection sites reduce harm and better enable people to get help. We have a city that is working on aligning goals with other administrative bodies but is still underfunded. And we have a business base, with a robust group of paternalistic NIMBYs, fighting the city tooth and nail to prevent them from making up the deficit or adopting those approaches. We also have anti-tax zealots that have abolished almost every possible method of progressive taxation via our state constitution.

      If we want to make progress, we need more funding. The head tax was a poor implementation because, frankly, we need a constitutional amendment to legalize income and capital gains taxation before we can make progress in a way that doesn’t force even more people into homelessness. Everything else is going to be a poor stopgap.

      • Quora November 8, 2019 (6:55 pm)

        More funding? Are you kidding me? How much money do you want to throw at the “homeless problem”; half a billion dollars?

        • Nick November 8, 2019 (7:31 pm)

          Not sure if you knew, but the state as a whole spends over $1.2 Billion / year on the homeless.  That comes out to over $40,000 / homeless person.

        • Nolan November 8, 2019 (7:45 pm)

          At least $410 million. You know, like an independent analysis conducted by experts concluded more than a year ago.

      • Jethro Marx November 8, 2019 (7:31 pm)

        Housing first, sure; safe injection sites, man, I don’t know, but if it works, sure! It may very well take a billion dollars to even come close to housing everyone in King County. The problem is, we don’t have an effective plan; and if the plan is to spend $100M a year on, as you say, “working on aligning goals with other administrative bodies,” then we will never accomplish anything, but more to the point, do you know how ridiculous it sounds to say such things? Maybe we should build housing. This election is not Trump vs. Anti-Trump; it’s more like picking which wacky and ineffective candidate you’ll support after the first debate. “Uggh, is this everyone..?”

      • Canton November 8, 2019 (9:27 pm)

        Congrats Nolan, you get the SJW, Kool aid drinker of the year award. Stay blind my friend, you reap, what you sow.

        • Jort November 8, 2019 (10:38 pm)

          Maybe we should put this issue up for debate, Canton? Maybe in a formalized way in which each citizen has the opportunity to register their opinions in a tracked, countable way? Oh wait that’s called an election and the “SJW’s” or whatever the Fox News drama queens are calling it these days OVERWHELMINGLY WON. 

        • Tsurly November 9, 2019 (11:16 am)

          The same way spineless conservatives do with our crimes against the US dotard president?

  • Jon Wright November 8, 2019 (6:08 pm)

    Sad trombone for CASE, Moms for Seattle, People for Seattle, Safe Seattle et. al.

    • KM November 8, 2019 (8:03 pm)

      Safe Seattle…or Safe “I don’t actually live in Seattle, but really want to own the libs”?

  • TJ November 8, 2019 (6:47 pm)

    Hey Nolan, you are the exact definition of a progressive. There is never enough money. Ever. We are underfunded here? I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but if I remember right the city’s budget has gone up 40% in 6 years. How is that underfunded? Sounds like they are trying to do too much. How about doing any of the current things good before starting new programs, then cry that they are all underfunded. What’s going to happen when the economy crashes here, and it will and is going to be worse than 2008? Your claim that this is the middle is as crazy as supporting safe injection sites. You want compassion? Great, devote your time and money but do not ask for mine 

  • MJ November 8, 2019 (7:00 pm)

    Nolan – City revenue/taxes have skyrocketed and yet it’s always more money.  Why not some accountability.  The homeless issue is a prime example of the City’s failure.

  • sgs November 8, 2019 (7:19 pm)

    Dear Ms. Herbold,Congratulations on your re-election!   I respect the election results and hope to work with you to make our city better.  Diverse ideas usually have better results.  I hope you can make a difference in something that is very worrisome:  the dictatorial tendencies and winner/loser attitude championed by our current president are making their way into local politics in a region where we are proud of our progressive values.  Progressive values include valuing diversity.  Please push against extremists who disregard the 4 out of 10 people who voted for your opponent with attitudes such as  “overwhelming, total and crushing defeat for that side” and “extreme, fringe minority in Seattle”.  These Trumpisms will kill our democracy, and our city. 

  • M November 8, 2019 (7:23 pm)

    I just wish we had one council member elected to represent the tax payers. 

    • KM November 8, 2019 (8:06 pm)

      You’ll be relieved to find out the residents of Seattle do pay taxes, including me, who is happy with the results, so we are covered.

    • Nolan November 8, 2019 (8:14 pm)

      Well, then, have I got some exciting news for you!

  • Jenny November 8, 2019 (7:44 pm)

    After reading so many months of anti-Lisa tirades in the comments, I for one am loving Jort’s victory lap. I think we’ve earned the right to call a spade a spade. Never stop, Jort!

    • not jort November 8, 2019 (8:15 pm)

      Jort for city council 2023!

      • Jort November 8, 2019 (9:59 pm)

        When I am your benevolent dictator I WILL take away your car, crush it into a tiny cube and throw it away. You will receive a free E-bike and free every-ten-minutes bus and train service within 3 blocks of every home in West Seattle. The entire city will become bus and bike lanes and you will ALL love it. 

        • Sixbuck November 8, 2019 (10:19 pm)

          Yay!!  Sounds kinda like China. 

        • KM November 8, 2019 (11:03 pm)

          Hell yes, Jort. Hell. Yes.

  • joshuas mom November 8, 2019 (8:02 pm)

    Less than 4,000 votes separate the candidates at the end of this election for the District 1 Council seat. This is not an “overwhelming” statement of support for Councilmember Herebold’s policies and philosophies nor is it an “overwhelming” crushing of the ideas presented by candidate Tavel. This is in no way a landslide and most of all not a reason for name calling and ridicule. 

    • phineas freak November 8, 2019 (9:08 pm)

      Um, double-digit percentage leads (11.6) are pretty much a rout in anyone’s book. Try again.

    • Ron Swanson November 8, 2019 (9:13 pm)

      I don’t often agree with Jort, but 11% is a solid whooping.  The voters have spoken, and they’ve clearly said “OK Boomer”

      • Alkene November 9, 2019 (10:45 am)

        @ RON SWANSON So you believe that the results are a manifest expression of ageism. Do you use trendy derogatory memes about race and gender as well?

  • WTF November 8, 2019 (8:10 pm)

    What is wrong with the people of Seattle? If (your) elected officials are so awesome why the hell is Seattle such a mess? And, really people, the Amazon blame game is tired.More of the same is not only sad, it makes me question who I sit next to. So pitiful.

    • Seaweed November 8, 2019 (9:04 pm)

      Sawant for Govenor?…bigger balls than J Inslee. 

      • Sixbuck November 8, 2019 (10:22 pm)

        Sawant can be “Govenor”, sure, but I would like our Governor to be a half-sane non socialist hypocrite. 

        • Seaweed November 9, 2019 (10:16 am)

          …or one with a bit of backbone.

    • Jort November 8, 2019 (10:01 pm)

      Maybe because the city isn’t ACTUALLY a mess and you’ve been wrong this whole time? But, please, don’t take my word for it, since we just had an election literally about this exact issue and you overwhelmingly lost. 

    • Scubafrog November 9, 2019 (9:00 am)

      Aside from homelessness, how’s Seattle “such a mess”?  This is one of the greatest cities in America.  I LOVE IT HERE!!  Low crime, great chance at success.  You really have to look for things to whine about in Seattle.  And the “woe is me, Seattle’s falling!” argument’s a total non-starter.  Much like the republican doomsdayers who’ve been building their shelters for decades and decades.  Small minds, *sigh*. 

  • WSB November 8, 2019 (8:39 pm)

    8:30 results now added above.

    • Chris November 8, 2019 (9:24 pm)

      Thank you for the diligent coverage. This is been a dependable resource during elections.

  • TJ November 8, 2019 (9:12 pm)

    Nolan, I guess you mean I feel entitled because I avoid some taxes and fees? Well it’s not entitled, but honestly exactly because of progressive attitudes like yours is why. Raising taxes at the rate they have the last 5 years are unsustainable, yet it isn’t enough. How has the money spent so far on homelessness not made a dent? My life has been all about personal responsibility and yet you want compassion for those who have let personal responsibility go. Your compassion means wanting my money. A honest question is, when was it the governments responsibility to provide housing? And if it’s built for those who have chosen to put themselves in a position to not provide it for themselves, what is their skin in the game? Not free, right? We all pay for ours after all. Take a simple page from the east side and strictly enforce drug laws, prosecute theft, and build enough shelter space so that them being full isn’t a excuse. After that, no more tents. Then we’ll talk 

    • Quora November 9, 2019 (6:10 am)

      Engaging in conversation with Jort and Nolan is nothing short of hilarious. Let me sum it up for you; everyone needs to trade in their cars, take the proceeds and give it to the Homeless Industrial Complex so that they can build “no income housing” for 500-600K a pop to be occupied by criminals that literally spit in the face of law and order. Oh, and with a safe injection site next door. That’s it. That’s the solution. It’s easy over here in Fantasy Land.

      • Jort November 9, 2019 (9:14 am)

        We literally just voted on this and overwhelmingly won. It’s not a fantasy, it’s a crushing victory. 

  • Onion November 8, 2019 (10:42 pm)

    Herbold’s best moments have been when she broke away from the Sawant & Obrien wing of the council. I am OK with for this reason above all others. I am saddened that the Sawant cancer is still on the council.

  • Ugh November 8, 2019 (11:11 pm)

    Anyone who who wanted something different and didn’t get out to vote I’ll call you out as depressingly lame

  • Huck November 9, 2019 (12:14 am)

    I’m glad Herbold won and Sawant is winning. They will turn Seattle into a full on dump and downtown will eventually be vacated by businesses. Then will Seattle voters turn on them? Nope, they will just blame rich people because it’s so easy to do. Rich business owners are the reason for my lack of success. 

    • craig November 9, 2019 (8:18 am)

      I 976 is the biggest threat to Seattle.  How many businesses will now leave since their  employees can’t get to work?    With the slashing of H1b visas, our tech companies are desperate for labor and must fight to attract top talent.  Why would top talent choose Seattle over progressive cities that invest in infrastructure?  

    • Ivan Weiss November 9, 2019 (9:32 am)

      @Huck: In my experience, we become what we behold. I wish you good luck.

  • Richard Maloney November 9, 2019 (6:08 am)

    This election became a referendum on Amazon’s presence in Seattle.  Amazon was repudiated.  It has led to a housing crisis; crowded roads; and it pays zippo in income taxes.

    Instead of looking at the pros and cons of each candidate, it looks as though our voters decided that if Amazon wants it, Seattle doesn’t.

  • AMD November 9, 2019 (6:29 am)

    The rise in homelessness is a nation-wide issue.  It’s not just Seattle.  Every major metropolitan area in the country is dealing with a surge in their homeless population, so if you think changing a few city council members is going to upend a nationwide trend, you’re sorely mistaken.  Second, only three incumbents were running again.  You’re going to get your “fresh blood” on the city council with or without Tavel.  Third, this was not a dirty race from either side.  The most negative comments came from the PACs pouring money into the election and even those were mild in comparison to other races in other places.  Tavel has some associates who have said some very awful things about homeless people, but he himself gave pretty generic non-answers to questions about the issue (much like his answers on every issue).  Maybe he was saying nastier things in person, but I never heard it.  Kudos to those who put themselves out there to run.  I’m angry that I-976 passed.  It costs the state more than $30 just to PROCESS your vehicle registration so look forward to a new tax on something else just so the state isn’t running a deficit to make you feel better about the cost of your car ownership.  Seriously, people?  My car tabs cost like $15 more PER YEAR than my car insurance costs per month.  For a car I drive, like, maybe 700 miles a year.  That tax isn’t what’s keeping you from living in the manner in which you are accustomed.  It’s a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of having unreliable transportation infrastructure.  And when y’all figure that out there’s nothing you can do about it because you voted for a bill that prevents you from voting a different way in the future.  Good job.

    • Jort November 9, 2019 (9:13 am)

      AMD, take some solace in knowing that your neighbors in the most populous county in the state are rejecting I-976 by a 20 point margin. It’s important to note that the anti-tax zealots crowing victory on car tabs are only winning because they had to rely on voters in Metalline Falls and Asotin to win. Here in King  County, we overwhelmingly want the higher tabs.

  • Seattlite November 9, 2019 (8:17 am)

     “Socialism guarantees failure and suffering – So why do so many Americans support it”?   Article by Victor Davis Hanson.

  • Shawn November 9, 2019 (8:30 am)

    –“Clowns to the left of me / Jokers to the right / And here I am stuck in the middle with you”– The results were tight in most of the races. Other than the tabs thing, it was pretty much a vote for the status quo. As an urbanist independent, that’s fine by me.

    • Ivan Weiss November 9, 2019 (9:39 am)

      @Shawn: The results were “tight” in  most races? Herbold leads by 11 percent, Morales by 20, Strauss by 10, Juarez by 21, Pedersen by 5, and Lewis by 6. These are decisive margins, that should send everyone a clear message, and there is nothing “tight” about any of them.

  • Mj November 9, 2019 (9:42 am)

    Shawn – decent summary.  I was glad to see voters vote against State sponsored discrimination.

  • Mountaindew Camacho November 9, 2019 (10:12 am)

    ROFL “And if it’s built for those who have chosen to put themselves in a position to not provide it for themselves, what is their skin in the game? Not free, right? We all pay for ours after all.” I’m glad Herbold won and Sawant is winning. They will turn Seattle into a full on dump and downtown will eventually be vacated by businesses. ”  just blame rich people because it’s so easy to do.”You Jest, you both contradict everything you say. People do not choose to be homeless and this is called othering which you both claim is being done to you how? Do you have unfettered access to a homeless  employment database ? These arguments are so weak as a defense and you know that OK Boomer.And you know this as fact from what fear mongering NIMBY’S? https://youtu.be/ucKM36YtuXs

  • Mike November 9, 2019 (11:49 am)

    Peace out people, I’m moving out of Seattle.  You can pay all the taxes you want to pay to have the local politicians not use it for the good of society but rather to pad their bank accounts and hire their friends for 6 figure jobs in the city government contracts.   I’d like to thank all of you for adding pain to the housing market, jacking up the value of my house.  I now have $600k in equity to put towards my next home for my family.  Born in Seattle, I’ve watched the changes for over 40 years.  You want to live in a city that has brought back diseases typically found in 3rd world countries, that’s on you.  You want to accept that living in tents and RV’s, accept that people being addicted to drugs that eat you from the inside out as being okay, that’s on you.  You want to fund the continuation of promoting those types of lifestyles, that’s on you.  YOU take responsibility for it.  I tried for years to fight that, but the majority of people have spoken with their votes and have decided that’s the type of city they wish to live in.  I don’t, so I will move elsewhere.  I wish you all the best, I’m going to continue to fight for improving our ecosystem and humanity globally.  Peace!

    • Michael Ostrogorsky November 9, 2019 (12:34 pm)

      And I am positive Seattle will be a much better city with one less delusional person living here!

    • Jort November 9, 2019 (1:53 pm)

      BYE!

      • Mark Schletty November 9, 2019 (3:52 pm)

        Jort- apparently you think the only healthy democratic culture is one in which all people think just like you, and all others have been exiled. If you get your way the only people left in Seattle will be as selfishly self-centered as you.  I don’t think you would flourish in such a situation. 

        • Jort November 9, 2019 (7:06 pm)

          On the contrary, Mark. I have a great deal of respect for people who actually stand by their convictions and find Seattle such an insufferable hellhole that they actually leave! Unlike these kinds of people, I would have tolerated and adapted to a change in council representation, but then again I don’t wrap my entire personal identity in conservative talk-radio fictions about my city. But, more power to you if hate it so much that you actually leave. That’s one way to adapt. Again, I have a lot of respect for people who follow through on these easy-to-type threats.

          • Mini November 9, 2019 (10:25 pm)

            Are you happy?

    • Lagartija Nick November 9, 2019 (2:01 pm)

      I hope you move to a state that has higher property taxes, sales taxes AND income taxes along with all of the same fees/tolls that we have. You know, almost EVERY other state. Maybe then you’ll realize just how good you had it here in one of the lowest tax burden states in the country.

    • Jon Wright November 9, 2019 (6:29 pm)

      I used to be the sort of uppity customer who, when I felt wronged by a business, would shout, “I’m never doing business with you again!” and storm out. I sure showed them, didn’t I? Then I spent some time working in customer service. It was an eye opener concerning my own behavior because when customers would shout that at me in attempt to get a rise out of me, I just figured that meant one less jerk we had to put up with. So to everyone who is working very hard to get the last word in with their lengthy “this time you’ve gone too far Seattle, I’m leaving!” screed, please save yourself the trouble. Nobody cares.

    • Felix Grounds November 11, 2019 (8:58 am)

      You should move to Kentucky dude…Or better yet Somalia, you’ll do great in Somalia, lots of opportunities with no oppressive government oversight.

  • Bradley November 9, 2019 (2:13 pm)

    The other 38 counties in Washington will continue to save King County and Seattle from themselves. Thanks to them we got I-976 passed and defeated the racist R-88/I-1000. It’s quite easy for us West Seattle residents to drive a couple of miles and get away from the iNsAniTy of Seattle and visit functioning jurisdictions.

    • Tsurly November 9, 2019 (5:46 pm)

      I really don’t understand why conservatives that hate it here so much choose to stay and perpetually whine about it.I lived in a conservative s***hole for a number of years after grad school. It was too much and decided to pick up and bring my high paying job to Seattle.If you don’t like Seattle, leave because you will not be able to change it.

      • CMT November 10, 2019 (5:17 pm)

        I’m far from a conservative but I’ll take a stab at answering.  Seattle has beautiful natural surroundings and a lot to offer.  Many people have deep roots here in the form of family, friends, jobs, etc.  Why would or should someone be advised to move simply because he or she disagrees with the direction and policies of the current elected officials.  Those who agree with current policy makers have no greater claim to Seattle than those who do not.  People have every right to advocate for changes they believe will serve the city and to speak out against those they don’t without being told that if they don’t like it they should move – after all, who does that sound like?

  • aa November 9, 2019 (3:14 pm)

    Be the change you want to see in the world– Mahatma Gandhi

  • Mini November 9, 2019 (5:54 pm)

    Man alive, reading this blog thread makes me feel sad and disappointed in our great West Seattle community.   So much anger and bickering. Who is really winning here?  This is exactly what the devil wants. Division, bashing, anger, ego, hate.  Agree to disagree, lift up and keep your eyes on the bigger picture. This is all temporary.  Focus on what really matters and keep the Faith. 

  • John November 9, 2019 (8:56 pm)

    Seattle is dying, and all the new corpses are snatching up newly-built 3000+ sq ft mausoleums for their repose. I’m still living in my little shack, riding the bus, and being West Seattle. Love it.

    • Twins November 10, 2019 (7:49 pm)

      Only in Seattle and San Francisco would Phil Tavel be the lesser liberal, and described by some as a right wing shill. Anywhere else he’d be too liberal, but here he’s considered almost a conservative. Some of you don’t even know how funny I find your “serious” discussion about the vast difference between Herbold  and Tavel. They are a few talking points away from being the same person and you act like they are as different as night and day. Hilarious. Maybe 50,000 people didn’t vote because they didn’t see a difference. 

      • morethantalk November 11, 2019 (9:49 am)

        Its not just about talking points.  Lisa clearly knew the details of the issues.  She was actually implementing policies and handling the nuts and bolts.  Tavel was vague and uninspiring.

  • Huck November 10, 2019 (9:49 am)

    @IVAN WEISSI am expressing my opinion, not launching personal attacks on anyone. But, that seems to bother you and makes you want to attack me.Would you prefer that only people who agree with you can speak their minds? Will that make you feel better? I completely disagree with Jort, but I respect is his opinion, even though he is clearly trying to rub salt in the wounds of Tavil voters. He can say what he wants. It’s his right to do so, as it is mine.

Sorry, comment time is over.