Harrell Trails Wilson in Close Seattle Mayoral Primary
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell at the Converge Media Studios on February 20, 2024. Harrell is trailing challenger Katie Wilson after the first round of primary results. (Photo: Susan Fried)
By Staff Reports
SEATTLE - The first round of results from last night's primary election in Seattle has set the stage for a competitive general election in November, with several incumbent politicians facing strong challenges from the left.
In a closely watched mayoral race, incumbent Bruce Harrell is trailing challenger Katie Wilson by a narrow margin. Wilson, a progressive organizer, is currently leading with approximately 46% of the vote to Harrell's 45%. The race is expected to be a key contest in the general election, and the outcome will be watched closely as a measure of the city's political mood.
Katie Wilson on the set of The Day With Trae on April 9, 2025. Wilson currently leads Mayor Harrell after the first round of primary election results. (Photo: Erik Kalligraphy)
Other citywide races also saw progressive challengers leading against more moderate incumbents. Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison is trailing Erika Evans, a former federal prosecutor, by a significant margin. Evans holds a commanding lead with 51% of the vote, compared to Davison's 37%. Similarly, in the at-large City Council Position 9 race, challenger Dionne Foster is ahead of incumbent Sara Nelson, with 54% to Nelson's 39%.
In other City Council races, Alexis Mercedes Rinck is holding a strong lead for Position 8, and Eddie Lin is ahead in the four-way race for Position 2.
Voters also weighed in on several ballot measures. A renewal of Seattle's democracy voucher program appears to be passing with 56% of the vote. In King County, a parks levy is also seeing strong support, with 70% of voters approving the measure.
These initial results represent the first count of ballots, and final tallies are expected to change as more votes are processed in the coming days. However, the early returns suggest a significant shift in voter sentiment, with progressive candidates performing better than anticipated in several key races. The top two vote-getters in each primary race will advance to the general election in November.
