TOMORROW: Watch Seattle Mayor candidates answer questions about homelessness in online forum

Voting in the general election is just over two weeks away – ballots go out October 13th. If you haven’t decided yet who you’re voting for in local races, you have a variety of opportunities coming up to watch candidate forums. Tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon is the next one – mayoral candidates Lorena González and Bruce Harrell will answer questions about homelessness in an online forum presented by the nonprofit Resolution to End Homelessness. Organizers say it will include an audience-question period toward the end, Go here to register for the Zoom link

Adam September 28, 2021 (6:40 pm)

I feel like the extremes will get most the votes while the majority of us, residing somewhere in between, won’t be represented. I guess it just pays to be part of a crew these days. Political gang-banging taking over our communities, lots of innocent bystander victims. That said, we reap what we sow. If voter turnout were greater I feel like we could do better. We allow ourselves to be drowned out by activists, coupling that with general apathy that is just confusing to me. We’re all “about” sumthin on FB or Twitter or whatever, never when it matters most. We sit and fret over national crises yet the biggest impact you can have is at home, and first as an informed voter.The extremists are not the most of us. It’s stunning that something as simple as voting is such a far bridge for many of us to cross. We can outnumber the insane few that continue to drive politics these days, we just have to give a sh— when it actually makes a difference.

Ice September 28, 2021 (9:08 pm)

Neither of these candidates seem extreme to me in any sense of the word. They are both experienced with politics and likely understand the realities and limits of political power. Their platforms are very similar with a few small exceptions. I prefer Gonzalez because her housing policy seems better, and I think a few of Harrell’s proposed solutions will hit a political brick wall, but I have a really hard time seeing how either of these people are extremists in any sense of the word.
- Adam September 29, 2021 (6:48 am)
  
  Oh this wasn’t specific to Bruce and Lorena, just an opinion on the state of politics in America in general. And while I’m giving my opinion, I believe saying Lorena Gonzalez isn’t an extreme shows how much we’ve normalized extremes. On the other side of the state, they don’t consider Clint Didier-type candidates as extreme either. We’re dealing with the fallout of a problem we don’t even realize we have. Look, the candidates we have as choices almost always fall into one of two categories: they might be over the top with identity politics to the point race, gender, and sexual preference drive every conversation known to man, or they’re a candidate that can’t seem to understand that ransacking the US Capitol and threatening the Vice President and legislators with death is treasonous. But hey, I just sh— on both sides, which means in today’s political playground I’m actually the villain, unwilling to join the Bloods or the Crips.
Cp September 28, 2021 (9:10 pm)

True but non extremists like me haven’t had any likeminded candidates to vote for, for a number of reasons. I think people aren’t voting because they don’t want to vote for a Sawant type or the other candidates that are Sawant light like Herbold. The state of the city and down spiral I/we have been watching for decades should scream change but people keep voting for the same or worse. I don’t get it and I’m surprised some things are still positive here like the housing market.
StopCuttingDownTrees September 28, 2021 (11:10 pm)

Harrell is the moderate, non-extremist choice, which is why he’s ahead in the polls. Gonzalez and her extremist agenda would destroy what’s left of Seattle’s livability.
- Pedro September 29, 2021 (7:32 am)
  
  I’m not sure “extremist”, an inherently loaded term, is fair for either candidate. That said, there are marked differences. Harrell supports targeted sweeps and removals of unlawful encampments under certain circumstances and believes their should be repercussions for being offered and denying help. Gonzalez does not. She is against sweeps and against any kind of downside to individuals at unlawful encampments simply refusing help and continuing to do what they want.As a compassionate left of center minded realist, I go with Harrell. I don’t vilify Gonzalez for her view, but I just don’t think she’s operating in reality. Her solution to the homeless problem is to fix all of society’s ills in a broad sense. A audable goal; but not one that can be achieved overnight or even in a decade. And not one that’s really the job of a mayor. Moreover, there are marked and legitimate differing views on what’s “fair” and “equitable” and how we get there. Gonzalez tends to have one line of through in that regard – it’s all the fault of the big businesses that fuel our economy, a notion I simply can’t embrace.
  - Adam September 29, 2021 (10:58 pm)
    
    Great take Pedro, glad to hear thoughtful input. Also I should have clarified the “extremist” comment was more in general and not specific to these two. I think Bruce got out strategically a cpl years ago when his less extreme views weren’t palatable here, and now is back when his brand might work. Lorena I feel is just riding a wave, but I don’t know her personally so I can’t say she is being disingenuous. Just a feeling I get.
K September 29, 2021 (8:04 am)

Does everyone not voting align with you politically?

There is a solution September 28, 2021 (9:54 pm)

We still need to solve the homeless problem and I’m sick of hearing there is no solution. Give me a break, we owe it to everyone.

Del September 29, 2021 (2:51 am)

I will be voting for whoever stands up to Sawant and her bullying. The destructive policies Sawants trying to enact is ruining our city.

KayK September 29, 2021 (3:58 pm)

Does anyone know if this was recorded for folks who couldn’t watch live?

WSB September 29, 2021 (4:24 pm)

They are supposed to send a link. I watched and will have a report this evening – will include the video if the link arrives before then, or will add if not.
- WSB September 29, 2021 (5:10 pm)
  
  … and just as I was finishing the story, the link to the YouTube upload arrived. It’s in the story:
  https://westseattleblog.com/2021/09/election-2021-seattle-mayor-candidates-talk-homelessness-at-noontime-forum-with-another-one-tonight/
  Also note, I discovered while writing, there’s another forum on the same topic tonight, different sponsors. Registration link in story.

James September 29, 2021 (4:58 pm)

As long as we don’t vote for Bruce Harrell and another Amazon-supporting mayor, we’re good. Harrell has been part of CC the last two decades and has done nothing but cause this problem by bending over backwards for Big Tech. Displacement and housing costs are insane. Bring them down. Vote for Lorena!

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