(WSB file photo, Morgan Junction drop box)

King County Elections drop boxes will open tomorrow, with more than 1.4 million general-election ballots now on the way. You should get yours by Monday (October 20) – if you don’t, call KCE at 206-296-VOTE. Here are the races you’ll see on your ballot if you’re registered to vote in West Seattle (asterisks denote incumbents, and names are published in the order they’ll be on the ballot):

KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Girmay Zahilay
Claudia Balducci

SEATTLE MAYOR
Katie Wilson
Bruce Harrell*

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, CITYWIDE POSITION 8
Alexis Mercedes Rinck*
Rachael Savage

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, CITYWIDE POSITION 9
Dionne Foster
Sara Nelson*

SEATTLE CITY ATTORNEY
Erika Evans
Ann Davison*

SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 2
Kathleen Smith
Sarah Clark*

SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 4
Joe Mizrahi
Laura Marie Rivera

SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 5
Vivian Song
Janis White

SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 7
Carol Rava
Jen LaVallee

SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION, POSITION 1
Ryan Calkins*

SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION, POSITION 3
Hamdi Mohamed*

SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION, POSITION 4
Toshiko Grace Hasegawa*

34TH DISTRICT STATE SENATOR
Emily Alvarado* (D)

34TH DISTRICT STATE HOUSE POSITION 1
Brianna Thomas* (D)

STATE RESOLUTION 8201 (constitutional amendment regarding long-term-care investing)

KING COUNTY PROP 1 (Medic One replacement levy)

SEATTLE PROP 1 (education levy renewal/expansion)

SEATTLE PROP 2 (B&O tax changes)

If you use a KCE dropbox, your deadline is 8 pm November 4. If you’re using USPS, this year the recommendation is to mail it at least a week before Election Day, so that would be October 28.

(WSB video and photos by Anne Higuera)

With less than a week until King County Elections sends out general-election ballots, the candidates in the most closely watched race, Seattle Mayor, appeared side by side at the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly lunch on Thursday. Below is our recording of the forum in its entirety; after it, toplines of what the candidates said.

Incumbent Bruce Harrell and challenger Katie Wilson answered questions from moderator Brian Callanan for almost an hour, after a brief introduction by West Seattle Chamber executive director Rachel Porter. Wilson founded and heads a nonprofit advocacy organization, the Transit Riders Union. Harrell was elected as mayor four years ago, two years after leaving the City Council, on which he’d been for more than a decade.

Moderator Callanan explained that the candidates had been provided the questions in advance, adding that they were developed by the Chamber’s board and advocacy-committee members. He also wanted to make it clear that he was serving as moderator in his Chamber role as a member representing his volunteer work organizing the Loop the ‘Lupe event every year, NOT in his role as a Seattle Channel host.

The candidates were each given two minutes to introduce themselves before the questions began. Below are toplines – watch the video to get the candidates’ full responses; everything below is a paraphrase unless it’s within quotation marks:

WILSON INTRO: “I’m running for mayor because I love this city.” She has spent 14 years as a “coalition-builder.” Homelessness, public safety, affordability are the major problems she feels the city’s facing.

HARRELL INTRO: “I entered public service on a very simple basis – to solve problems.” He says the city has invested in affordable housing and homelessness strategies, and says Seattle Police are “rebuilding.”

Question: What policies will you use to support small businesses, particularly those led by women, BIPOC, and other at-risk groups?

HARRELL: Mentions several city programs providing support, including capital access and storefront-repair fund.

WILSON: Has been talking to many small businesses and knows “the struggle is real.” Says small-business struggle is connected to housing affordability, especially so employees don’t have to live far away. Will work with BIAs and Chambers on safety issues.

Question: New or expanded tax measures on the ballot – residents and businesses affected – how will you ensure city lives within its current revenues before imposing new taxes?

WILSON: Hamstrung by state’s regressive tax system; she worked to pass Jump Start payroll tax “that has enabled mayor to balance the budget.” Need to take a hard look at everything the city spends on. Have not spent effectively on hotel-based shelter beds, Pro Publica investigation found.

HARRELL: Pro Publica article indicated we were “winding down the problem.” Otherwise, “we want to look at where we are wasting money.” Has to ask department heads about how they’re spending money. Working on multi-department permit process’s efficiency. “I know systems thinking.”

Question: West Seattle has a homelessness problem but lack of shelter and services. What is your plan for a city-owned/supported shelter in West Seattle, or helping nonprofits access the support needed to provide services?

HARRELL: Did not initially provide WS-specific answer. Homelessness has risen around the country and state, not just the city. “I resent that I’m getting blamed” for the problem. Seattle is bearing the brunt of it, though, but we can’t shoulder it ourselves. Will continue pushing for regional solution, but if it doesn’t work, we’ll do it ourselves. (On rebuttal, he says King County Regional Homelessness Authority put out a call for proposals but did not get any from West Seattle.)

WILSON: What we’re doing right now is not working. Yes, it’s rising everywhere. But Seattle is “national outlier.” We’ve lost shelter capacity every year Harrell’s been mayor. Will be her #1 priority to expand shelter around the city. Current policy is just to move people around. Regarding WS, she was talking to shelter operator Keith Hughes and shocked that he is operating the only shelter, she’ll “work with you all to make sure we can open up more enhanced shelter in West Seattle because we absolutely need that.”

Question: Lack of access to affordable housing, drug treatment, etc. How will you strengthen regional partnerships to address that?

WILSON: ‘Housing First’ is very successful when done right but we’re not necessarily doing it right. “City has a very important convening role to play” to “create realistic pathways” for people experiencing homelessness. Currently have “a system of dead ends.”

HARRELL: “The issue is the intersectionality between public-health crisis (with drugs) and a public-safety crisis.” He doesn’t control public health but does control public safety. “We will arrest criminals doing criminal conduct.” But nowhere to take people for treatment – crisis care centers will help, “we’re building those systems as we speak.”

Question: It’s been recently reported that SPD might be undermining the CARE department’s ability to provide 911 alternative response. How will you improve relationship between the two departments?

HARRELL: Both report to his public-safety chief Natalie Walton-Anderson, and “they get along well.” They get together and sometimes disagree. SPD has done part of the CARE job for decades … so hard time letting it go. But we’ve worked it out, and we’re doubling the CARE Department in the budget.

WILSON: Read the Seattle Times article about this; it’s disturbing. Commitment to alternative response made during 2020 protests. I support that. Disturbing to learn CARE Team has not been allowed to exercise full role. Why did this come out as newspaper exposé instead of being disclosed other ways?

HARRELL: It’s no scandal when the people I hire disagree. Crime is down.

WILSON: I’ve heard this has been a problem a long time.

Question: National Guard troops activated by Trump Administration in other cities. How would you respond?

WILSON: Need to show we are all united, regional, local, state governments, other institutions, “when we become united, we’re a less attractive target.” Need to fight in court, be smart, be prepared. Mayor’s surveillance expansion bothered me because data is not secure. Also disturbed to hear SPD answering ICE requests faster than journalists’ requests.

HARRELL: “We are leading the way with our fight.” Touts two executive orders issued yesterday, including prohibiting masks for ICE, not allowing staging on city properties. “We are loud” and making sure protesters know what to do. Says other regional leaders like governor and Portland mayor looking to him for leadership.

Question: Light rail coming to West Seattle could displace up to 70 small businesses. What financial and technical assistance will city provide to help them survive?

HARRELL: Going to do here what we did in Rainier Valley. “At the end of the day, we have to give you resources” – mentions some of the programs he noted earlier in response to a different issue. But, he also notes, it’ll be a fight to keep the West Seattle light rail project “because some people don’t want it,” but he thinks WS and Ballard are going to be good investments ‘for your children and your grandchildren.”

WILSON: Glad that Legislature allowed higher cap on assistance. “Some interesting tradeoffs” regarding building quickly, “rip the band-aid off” vs. “slow death,” need to discuss “to make sure we’re getting the best outcome.”

Question: Transportation Levy got voter approval, traffic’s still a concern, what does success look like at end of levy?

WILSON: Projects delivered on time and on budget, “and we don’t have a great track record with that.” G Line was problem-plagued. Communication with those affected by projects needs to improve.

HARRELL: I know what failure looks like – the inconveniences of the West Seattle Bridge closure – going to circulate a letter about related labor disputes and make sure “that doesn’t happen again.” He tries to “calm down” the transportation discussions, like cars vs. bikes. “What success looks like is” $1.5 billion spent with Vision Zero goals achieved.

Question: Given contentious national political landscape, how will you ensure Seattleites feel supported and involved in decisionmaking process?

HARRELL: I’m a Seattle person and very approachable. Have worked for your trust. “We are living in the craziest times … radioactivity in politics … I’m not perfect … If I make a mistake I’ll (own up to it).’ Says he gives himself permission to make five mistakes a day.

WILSON: This is personal to me – “I started the work I do back in 2011 because King County Metro” was going to make big cuts, and “bus riders were not feeling heard.” She has worked “to build that collective power.” Wants to govern in a way that empowers people. Hard to get buy-in if decisions are made top-down.

A lightning round ensued, with responses limited to :30, and questions admittedly more “light-hearted.”

Question: Where would you rather spend a Sunday afternoon, Pike Place Market or Alki Beach?

WILSON: Alki because “as a transit person” she loves riding the Water Taxi.

HARRELL: Alki – “it’s a gem” – because that’s where he learned to scuba-dive.

Question: If Seattle had official mascot, what would it be?

HARRELL: Some kind of a Husky-like … with a Mariner player to it.”

WILSON: Sockeye salmon.

Question: What is your go-to coffee order to survive the workday?

WILSON: “I’m really boring … normal tall latte.” Mentions that dates to when she was breastfeeding her daughter (now 2) and had to drink a lot of milk.

HARRELL: “I’m a simple coffee person … just a drip with cream and sugar. That’s a boring drink and I’m going to stick with it.”

Question: Which Seattle event is your can’t-miss event every year?

HARRELL: (Took a while to think of this) Opening game of the Huskies.

WILSON: “Not really an event but …” fall colors at Japanese Garden in Arboretum.

Question: If you could name a new ferry, what would you call it?

WILSON: (Admitted she was stumped, offered mayor the first turn, got more time but couldn’t think of one till someone in audience suggested recycling “Sockeye Salmon” from the “mascot” question.)

HARRELL: (Admitted he was stumped, finally suggested he’d name it in honor of former mayor Charles Royer.)

Closing statements followed.

WILSON: “I’m an outsider with an insider’s perspective. … I’ve seen how this city works and too often how it fails to work for the people of this city.” The mayor’s job is about assembling a competent team and she has experience doing that. Touts endorsements by labor and political groups, and that she received 51 percent of the vote in the primary.

HARRELL: “As your mayor I’ve tried to lead this city with … honesty, integrity, kindness, and strength.” … “There’s a lot of work still to do.” Says Wilson recently said she didn’t intend to run for public office, and he thinks her “lack of preparedness … shows.” During these times, he contends, “experience matters.” Touts endorsements by other elected officials.

REBUTTAL: After Harrell concluded, Wilson rebutted his allegations that she’s never hired an employee and never balanced a budget as “simply not true.” He countered that Pro Publica has listed the Transit Riders Union as having “zero” employees.

WHAT’S NEXT: King County sends out ballots next Wednesday, October 15. Dropboxes open the next day, October 16. You’ll have until 8 pm November 4 to return your ballot. It’ll include four ballot measures and 14 city, county, school, and state races.

1:43 PM: Voting in the November election starts in less than two weeks – King County Elections will mail ballots next week. Four citywide races will be on your ballot, and this Thursday, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is presenting a candidates’ forum during its monthly lunch meeting, described as follows:

The 2025 Candidate Forum brings together candidates for Mayor of Seattle, Seattle City Council, and City Attorney in a nonpartisan program hosted by the West Seattle Chamber. Attendees will hear clear positions on public safety, transportation, housing, small business health, climate readiness, and neighborhood priorities. The format features timed moderator questions, equal speaking time, and a focused small business lightning round.

Moderator will be longtime local journalist/broadcaster Brian Callanan, who is also a chamber board member as part of his volunteer work organizing Loop the ‘Lupe every summer. The lunch/forum is at 11:30 am Thursday (October 9) at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), open to non-members as well as members (there’s an attendance fee for both); here’s the registration link. Once your ballot arrives, the deadline for voting and returning it is Tuesday, November 4.

1:58 PM: Just heard from chamber executive director Rachel Porter, who says her organization has *just* decided to focus only on the mayoral race at the forum – they’re expecting both incumbent Bruce Harrell and challenger Katie Wilson.

If you have something to say about next year’s city budget, as City Councilmembers review and revise the mayor’s proposal, tomorrow is your first major chance to tell them what you think. The council will spend Tuesday afternoon and evening presiding over their first big public hearing on the budget. They’ll take online/phone comments starting at 1 pm, in-person comments starting at 5 pm. The agenda document explains how and when to register for the sessions. Here are a few notes we published when the mayor presented his proposal two weeks ago; since then, the council has held multiple meetings at which individual departments gave overviews of their budget proposals (for short quick ways to review those, see the slide decks linked in the agendas – find them labeled Select Budget Committee, starting September 25th. You can also find the entire budget document, and individual departments’ plans, linked here.

Mayor Bruce Harrell, state Attorney General Nick Brown, the city’s public-safety and others stood shoulder-to-shoulder at City Hall this morning to send the president a message: “Stay out of Seattle.” This follows the federal orders sending troops to other major West Coast cities. Above is Seattle Channel video of what they all had to say at City Hall this morning. “There are no insurrections here,” Harrell said. “I believe in a better country … I just wish our president understood this and believed in it as well.” Harrell said he’ll be issuing an executive order laying out “how we’ll protect our rights” if any deployment is ordered. Brown said that sending troops to Los Angeles, Portland, and D.C. are clearly part of a presidential strategy “to push our Constitution to the brink.” He said they’re staying in contact with the other cities and states and will be “ready to respond” if there’s a threat of the same thing here.

The proposed $9 billion 2026 budget presented by Mayor Bruce Harrell today is contingent on a variety of things, not just the City Council’s review, revision, and approval process. As noted by city budget director Dan Eder in a media briefing before the mayor’s proposal went public, the plan’s status as a “balanced budget” depends on approval of some proposed taxes, like the so-called “Seattle Shield” tax and the expanded Families, Education, Preschool, Promise levy, both of which go to voters on the November ballot, plus the one-tenth of a cent “public-safety sales tax” the Legislature gave local governments the authority to charge.

The city had already done some belt-tightening when financial forecasts looked ever-gloomier, Eder said:

While almost half the full $9 billion plan goes to utilities, transportation, and environment spending, as per the pie chart below, Eder says much of that is mandated:

And if you pull out the $2 billion general fund, half of that goes to public safety:

Eder said the budget for police staffing is growing because they’re hiring more officers than expected and losing fewer than expected:

Meantime, funding to expand the major teams comprising the CARE Department – crisis responders and 911 dispatchers/calltakers – will be heavily dependent on the aforementioned “public safety sales tax”:

In another area of interest, Parks and Recreation would get funding to add three more park rangers, for a total of 31, and would get $1 million more to fight graffiti vandalism. The department’s own summary also mentions increased restroom maintenance.

There’s a lot more to say about the budget, but those are a few notes for now. You can see the entire 702-page budget proposal, with department-by-department breakouts, here (PDF, 20 MB). Here’s the agenda for the council’s first all-budget meeting at 9:30 am Thursday; public hearings are currently planned for October 7 and November 6, with the budget to be finalized before Thanksgiving.

As reported here Thursday, the City Council said “no” to a proposal to add eight more Neighborhood Centers – designated hubs of residential and business growth – to the updated Comprehensive Plan. But we also noted that the one West Seattle possibility on the list, Alki, might come back for consideration again. And a vote taken by the council late this afternoon paves the way for that possibility:

A resolution spelling out Comprehensive Plan changes that might be considered next year included, Resolution 32183, included a call for studying those eight potential Neighborhood Centers that won’t be in this year’s changes. District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka tried to get Alki crossed off that list, saying that the area just doesn’t meet the criteria for being a Neighborhood Center, in the absence of good transit, medical facilities, a grocery store, and due to geographic isolation and environmental risk. He also accused those who favored the ideas of being YITBYs – “yes in THEIR back yard.” Despite his intense imploring, his Amendment 1 to remove Alki failed – four councilmembers for (Saka, Kettle, Nelson, Rivera), four against (Hollingsworth, Juarez, Rinck, Strauss), one abstaining (Solomon). This doesn’t necessarily mean Alki, and/or any of the other seven (which are outside WS), will be proposed again as a Neighborhood Center, but it keeps the possibility alive. The Comprehensive Plan update that the council’s been voting on contains seven Neighborhood Centers in West Seattle, as we first reported when it was unveiled eleven months ago. Alki was one of three WS Neighborhood Centers considered but not proposed, the city explained at the time (the other two were Highland Park and “Sylvan Junction,” near Delridge’s Home Depot store).

As noted, the City Council is voting today on dozens of amendments proposed as part of the every-decade process of updating the city’s long-term-growth plan, aka the Comprehensive Plan. Four of those amendments directly address specific West Seattle neighborhoods. Here’s how the votes went:

AMENDMENT 34: As its sponsor, citywide Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, described it, this was the “spicy” amendment, generating a lot of discussion, because it would add eight areas as Neighborhood Centers, enabling denser housing among other things. One of those would be in Alki; the other seven were elsewhere in the city. The amendment was defeated, with everyone voting no except for Rinck. But she said it may be brought back again in the future, after additional study following the current process. For now, though, the Comprehensive Plan Update will NOT include an Alki Neighborhood Center. (We had details of the now-failed proposal in this September 2 report.)

AMENDMENT 35: This was one of three amendments from District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka, changing the Endolyne Neighborhood Center’s name to Fauntleroy, and reducing its size a bit. It passed.

AMENDMENT 36: This was Councilmember Saka’s second of three amendments, adding some area to the High Point Neighborhood Center including the HP Library’s site. It passed.

AMENDMENT 37: This was Saka’s third Neighborhood Center amendment, reducing the size of the Morgan Junction Urban Center. It passed.

Another Saka amendment requiring more pedestrian improvements in new Neighborhood Centers, Amendment 53, passed. And one other transportation amendment of note, Councilmember Rinck’s Amendment 7 to “end parking mandates” – did not pass; Council President Sara Nelson said it was worth more discussion than just an amendment to a larger plan would get.

The council is currently in recess, after finishing work on the first overall bill to which all these amendments and others were made, and will reconvene at 12:30, with a lunch break set at 1 pm and resumption of work at 2 pm.

After last Friday’s all-day-into-the-night public hearing on proposed rezoning factoring into the long-range Comprehensive Plan, the next step is for the City Council to start voting on the 100+ amendments that councilmembers have proposed. But first – the newly released agenda for their meeting Wednesday reveals how that’s going to play out. This memo from council staff summarizes that:

-For one bill (CB 120985), 28 amendments are proposed as a package for one vote, while 24 were reserved for separate individual votes. That includes Amendment #34 by citywide Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, adding eight more Neighborhood Center zoning designations including Alki, and Amendments #35, #36, and #37 by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka, proposing boundary changes in the Endolyne (Fauntleroy) Neighborhood Center, the High Point Neighborhood Center, and the Morgan Junction Urban Center.

-For another bill (CB 120993), 18 amendments are proposed as a package for one vote, while 21 are proposed for individual votes.

Capitol Hill Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth, who is chairing the council “select committee” through this process, noted in this afternoon’s weekly council briefing meeting that the Wednesday meeting will have only one hour for public comment, one minute per person, so she urges everyone with a final pitch about any or all of the above to send written comments. Wednesday’s meeting starts at (corrected) 2 pm and you can see all the documents from links in the agenda, which also explains how to comment and how to watch.

How should/will Seattle grow in the next 20 years? The city revises that plan every 10 years or so, and as we’ve been reporting, the first package of changes is nearing a vote. Before City Council voting next week, councilmembers have one last major public hearing tomorrow, broken into online and in-person sections – here’s a final reminder from the office of District 3 Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth, who has been heading up the process:

The Select Committee for the Comprehensive Plan, chaired by Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth (District 3), will hold its third and final public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan and associated legislation on Friday, September 12.

The Select Committee will hear public comments on the amendments for two pieces of legislation: the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan and the Permanent HB 1110 Legislation, with the goal to have a final committee vote between Sept.17 and 19.

This public hearing will be separated into two sessions, with separate registration windows for each session. Session I will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be reserved for remote public comment. Session II will begin at 3 p.m. and will be reserved for in-person commentors.

Each speaker will be provided one minute to give their comments. Individuals will only be permitted to comment at one session.

The Select Committee may recess if there are no registered speakers present at any time. The Select Committee will recess for lunch between Session I and Session II.

Public Hearing information
WHO: Select Committee on Comprehensive Plan
WHAT: Public Hearing (two sessions)
WHEN: Friday, September 12
9:30 a.m. for remote public comment
3 p.m. for in-person public comment
WHERE: Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Avenue

How to register
Session I: Registration for remote speakers – 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Session II: Registration for in-person speakers – 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.

Councilmembers’ proposed amendments to the original proposal include citywide Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck‘s amendment to add Alki as a Neighborhood Center – a designation identifying a certain area as a growth hub – and District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka‘s amendments to change the boundaries of three Neighborhood Centers already proposed for West Seattle. You can see the agenda for tomorrow’s public hearing, with all relevant documents linked, by going here.

Two months ago, we and other media got a look inside SPD’s Real-Time Crime Center, in which SPD tracks incidents shortly after they happen. The center’s access to cameras will expand after two City Council votes tonight – here’s the meeting video:

The votes (on legislation linked on agenda page 7) followed more than 100 people speaking almost entirely against the expansion, but only two councilmembers – citywide rep Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Northwest Seattle’s Dan Strauss – voted no. Many of the people who urged the council to reject the bills said it wasn’t even so much the cameras themselves that they opposed, but the possibility that the images and information they gather could be used against particularly vulnerable residents such as immigrants and LGBTQIA+ people. Councilmembers, particularly Public Safety Committee chair Bob Kettle, insisted that the bills have more safeguards than similar ones in other cities. But more than anything, the councilmembers who supported the surveillance expansion said that they were most moved by crime victims they’ve heard from and met with, and they felt cameras would be an important “investigative tool.” They also said immigrants are concerned about crime too, not just federal enforcement; District 1 Councilmeber Rob Saka said he’s sensitive to immigrants’ concerns since he represents areas including South Park and High Point, and is the son of an immigrant himself.

While one part of the legislation will install new SPD cameras in new locations – the “Capitol Hill Nightlife Area,” the stadium area, and the Garfield High School vicinity – another part will connect the Real-Time Crime Center to ~150 SDOT cameras (city traffic cams are mapped here, including the ones in West Seattle). The camera’s project’s goals are stated in one of the agenda documents:

In regard to overall outcomes, the goals of this project are:
1. Reduction in gun violence, human trafficking, and other persistent felony crimes in selected areas.
2. Reduction in 911 calls in selected areas.
3. To minimize crime displacement outside of selected areas.
4. Improved police response times, crime clearance rates, and community satisfaction measures.

SPD will also report the rate of arrests and prosecutions that occur as a result of the initial pilot and any negative unintended consequences, such as over or under policing. The program will be data-informed and guided. It will terminate if data suggests the technology is ineffective.

Five amendments were considered before the final vote; the one that passed would enable a 60-day “pause” in the program if there was evidence the data could be or was being accessed for civil immigration enforcement.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Rachel Glass didn’t know what to do.

Like many people she’d spoken to about the federal changes, cuts, contractions, orders in the past half-year, she felt scared and overwhelmed. She observed that people who felt the way she does were asking, what are the Democrats doing? How are they stepping up?

She realized, “We can’t leave it all to leaders – we have to do stuff too – we have to step out and start fighting back.”

So she took action. Glass is first vice chair of our area’s largest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, as well as chair of its Programs Committee. She decided to plan a program that could bring hope and information, restore some of the dignity she feels the Trump Administration has “taken away … everything is so cruel, so humiliating.” The program, she thought, could inspire and bolster courage and empathy.

This would take more than an hour. More than two hours. More than three hours.

Her program is going to span 25 hours.

“Bend It Like Booker” will start at 10 am Saturday (August 23) and run just past 11 am Sunday (August 24), at the Machinists Union Hall in South Park. The time span, and part of the title, are inspired, Glass explains, by New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker‘s 25-hour speech on the Senate floor last March 31-April 1, deemed the “longest individual floor speech ever delivered.” The “Bend It” part of the title is after the soccer movie “Bend It Like Beckham.”

“Bend It Like Booker” won’t be any one person’s marathon speech; Glass has dozens of speakers lined up. No open mic, but she doesn’t envision it as a passive audience-sits-and-listens event; she hopes those who attend will talk to each other, learn from each other, and enjoy music and food, “because we’re going to be up all night!” She knows many won’t be able, and/or won’t want to devote 25 hours to it, so “Bend It Like Booker” also will be streamed, so people can attend from anywhere. “Wherever you can, whenever you can, however you can!” Glass declares.

She feels that “celebrating who we are as a people” is “a way we can fight back – fight for our dignity and humanity.” The speakers will do that by telling their stories, she says, in the way that Sen. Booker spent his 25 hours telling the stories of hundreds of people. Glass also has been collecting stories that will be read during “Bend It Like Booker.” As for those telling their own stories, many on Glass’s speaker lineup are people you might not have heard of – see the names and topics here – there will be some well-known political leaders too, including state and local Democratic luminaries.

She’s tried to contact Sen. Booker to invite him too – at least to provide a video greeting – but hasn’t yet heard back. Hope springs eternal.”This is something bigger than all of us. … We’re going to stand together, find our courage and motivation.”

And, she says, learn from people whose experiences have parallels, like a couple that came here from Russia. And learn from those who’ve been directly impacted by federal cuts and changes already, like someone whose job at the Veterans Administration was cut.

They’re charging a $10 donation for either in-person or online donation, to cover costs. If you’re attending in person, the doors really will be open for the entire 25-hour span, whenever you want to show up; the hall is at 9125 15th Place S. [map].

Brian Callanan, the West Seattle-residing journalist who anchors programs on Seattle Channel, asked us to help circulate his call for questions for his next two guests on City Inside/Out: Council Edition.

(Photos courtesy Seattle Channel)

He’s interviewing citywide Position 8 Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck and District 1 (West Seattle/South Park/Georgetown/SODO/Pioneer Square) Councilmember Rob Saka this week. If you have a question for one or both, email Brian via contact@seattlechannel.org by 5 pm Tuesday. He’s looking for serious questions of potential interest to a citywide audience. Rinck is running for what would be her first full term and so far has 78% of the vote in last week’s primary; Saka is midway through his first 4-year term.

As of tonight, the King County Elections vote count is close to caught up – it’s counted almost 32 percent of voters’ ballots, only two points behind the 34 percent it’s received. And the latest count has further widened the leads for challengers in three Seattle citywide races.

SEATTLE MAYOR: Katie Wilson now has 50.15%, more than eight points ahead of incumbent Bruce Harrell‘s 41.70%.

SEATTLE COUNCIL CITYWIDE POSITION 9: Dionne Foster is up to 57.89%, 22 points ahead of incumbent Sara Nelson‘s 35.77%.

SEATTLE CITY ATTORNEY: Erika Evans is now at 55.33%, more than nine points ahead of incumbent Ann Davison‘s 35.83%.

Complete results are here; the archived results reports from Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are linked here. Next vote count is expected Monday afternoon. Top two will go to voters for a final decision on November

King County Elections has just released the third round of results from Tuesday’s primary. No major changes in the five races we’re watching – here’s the latest

SEATTLE MAYOR: Katie Wilson‘s lead over Bruce Harrell* has decreased by one point; she’s now four points up after his share increased a bit, 48% to 44%.

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CITYWIDE POSITION 9 Dionne Foster‘s 18-point lead over Sara Nelson* has decreased one point to 17 points, 55% to 38%.

SEATTLE CITY ATTORNEY: Erika Evans‘s initial 14-point lead over Ann Davison* remains 17 points, 53% to 36%.

In other races:

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CITYWIDE POSITION 8: Alexis Mercedes Rinck* remains at 77%, with the nearest challenger, Rachael Savage, at 14%.

KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE: County Council President Girmay Zahilay retains a 12-point lead over County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, 42% to 30%.

See the full results list here.

These counts represent just under 27 percent of county voters’ ballots; so far the county reports receiving just under 34 percent of voters’ ballots (which at this point is likely close to what the final turnout will be). Breaking that out further, the current count includes ballots from 30 percent of Seattle city voters, while 39 percent of city voters’ ballots have been received.

King County Elections has released the second round of results from Tuesday’s primary. The major news: The challengers in three of the four Seattle city races with incumbents have widened their leads. In those three races:

SEATTLE MAYOR: Katie Wilson‘s one-point initial lead over Bruce Harrell* has grown to five points, 48% to 43%.

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CITYWIDE POSITION 9 Dionne Foster‘s 15-point initial lead over Sara Nelson* has grown to 18 points, 56% to 38%

SEATTLE CITY ATTORNEY: Erika Evans‘s initial 14-point lead over Ann Davison* has grown to 17 points, 53% to 36%

In other races:

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CITYWIDE POSITION 8: Alexis Mercedes Rinck* has increased her share of the vote to 77%.

KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE: County Council President Girmay Zahilay has increased his lead over County Councilmember Claudia Balducci by two points, 42% to 30%.

See the full results list here.

These represent just under 22 percent of county voters’ ballots, three percent more than the first round; so far the county has received 28 percent of voters’ ballots. (5:28 pm update: Now up to 33% received.) Next round of results, Thursday afternoon.

The voting’s over, the vote-counting has begun. King County Elections has released the first round of results. First, the races in which the top two will appear on your November ballot, with all but one incumbent in second place so far, and no one in third place anywhere close to the top two:

SEATTLE MAYOR: Top two are Katie Wilson 46%, Bruce Harrell* 45%

full results

Katie Wilson 44,457 46.21%
Bruce Harrell 43,160 44.86%
Joe Mallahan 4,640 4.82%
Clinton Bliss 1,275 1.33%
Ry Armstrong 996 1.04%
Isaiah Willoughby 473 0.49%
Thaddeus Whelan 424 0.44%
Joe Molloy 402 0.42%

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CITYWIDE POSITION 8 Alexis Mercedes Rinck* 75%, Rachael Savage 15%

full results

Alexis Mercedes Rinck 68,078 75.24%
Rachael Savage 13,503 14.92%
Ray A. Rogers 4,328 4.78%
Jesse A. James 2,534 2.80%
Cooper Hall 1,333 1.47%

SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL CITYWIDE POSITION 9 Dionne Foster 54%, Sara Nelson* 39%

full results

Dionne Foster 50,521 53.69%
Sara Nelson 36,786 39.10%
Mia Jacobson 3,366 3.58%
Connor Nash 3,135 3.33%

SEATTLE CITY ATTORNEY: Erika Evans 51%, Ann Davison* 37%

full results

Erika Evans 48,290 51.13%
Ann Davison 35,136 37.20%
Rory O’Sullivan 5,983 6.34%
Nathan Rouse 4,702 4.98%

KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE: No incumbent in this race. Top two are County Council President Girmay Zahilay with 40%, County Councilmember Claudia Balducci with 30%

full results

Girmay Zahilay 103,471 40.39%
Claudia Balducci 77,590 30.28%
Derek Chartrand 32,085 12.52%
(John Wilson 23,897 9.33% – “suspended” campaign too late to be removed from ballot)
Rebecca Williamson 6,072 2.37%
Amiya Ingram 4,707 1.84%
Bill Hirt 4,701 1.83%
Don L Rivers 2,674 1.04%

And the two ballot measures being decided in this election:

SEATTLE CITY DEMOCRACY VOUCHERS LEVY RENEWAL: Passing with 56% approval

KING COUNTY PARKS LEVY RENEWAL: Passing with 70% approval

These represent just under 19 percent of county voters’ ballots; so far the county has received 24 percent of voters’ ballots. Next round of results, Wednesday afternoon.

(WSB photo: One of West Seattle’s four ballot dropboxes, at South Seattle College)

One more reminder before Election Day arrives – you now have less than 24 hours to vote! King County Elections dropboxes close at exactly 8 pm tomorrow (Tuesday, August 5), and if you’re going to chance that USPS will postmark your not-yet-sent ballot in time, the sooner you get it to a Post Office, the better! (Forgive us for not having at least a mayoral-candidates forum this primary season … it’s still a bit of a transition time for us, but we plan to beef it up for the general election.) You have to decide now, though, who you want to see on the ballot for that election – and you have to settle the fate of two levy measures. Here one more time is what voters in our area are considering:

nCANDIDATES (all are listed/infolinked here)
Seattle Mayor (8 candidates)
Seattle citywide Council Position 8 (5 candidates)
Seattle citywide Council Position 9 (4 candidates)
Seattle City Attorney (4 candidates)
King County Executive (7 candidates, no incumbent)

Top two candidates in those races will face off in the November general election. Meantime, the two below, as is always the case with ballot measures, will be final decisions:

BALLOT MEASURES
King County Proposition 1 (6-year County Parks Levy renewal)
Seattle Proposition 1 (City Democracy Voucher 10-year levy renewal)

Still only 18 percent of ballots have been received so far. … Tomorrow night’s first and only round of results should be released around 8:15 pm, and as usual, we’ll have the highlights.

The sun’s out, the Blue Angels are here, summer break is only half over … Might be difficult to think about an election too, but that ballot you (probably) haven’t filled out yet asks you to make some important decisions: Two levies to be decided, and five major races in which the candidate lineups need to be narrowed to two finalists.

King County ballot-return stats show only 12 percent of voters have turned theirs in so far. You have until Tuesday (August 5) at 8 pm to get your ballot into a King County Elections dropbox (West Seattle has four, and nearby White Center and South Park have one each); if you want to use USPS mail, don’t wait until Tuesday, because there’s no guarantee of same-day postmark.

The decisions you’re asked to make:

CANDIDATES (all are listed/infolinked here)
Seattle Mayor (8 candidates)
Seattle citywide Council Position 8 (5 candidates)
Seattle citywide Council Position 9 (4 candidates)
Seattle City Attorney (4 candidates)
King County Executive (7 candidates, no incumbent)

BALLOT MEASURES
King County Proposition 1 (6-year Parks Levy renewal)
Seattle Proposition 1 (Democracy Voucher 10-year levy renewal)

As always, once the voting ends at 8 pm Tuesday, we’ll get the initial results by about 8:15 pm, and then one update a day until everything’s counted.

P.S. If you still haven’t received your ballot, report it ASAP to 206-296-VOTE. (Mail hiccups in our area meant our ballots didn’t arrive until this week – in the same delivery as the replacements we’d requested when the originals hadn’t shown up by early last week!)