Seattle Mayor

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell pushed back against an auditor report calling for more coordination around gun violence prevention and criticizing SPD’s haphazard approach to investigations. Deputy Mayor Tiffani Washington said she felt disrespected by the audit process being reinitiated by Council President Sara Nelson and that the issue was already under control.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has failed on housing, Ron Davis writes. Whether kickstarting a homegrown social housing push, encouraging a wide diversity of market-rate housing, or scaling up traditional nonprofit low-income housing to meet the need, Harrell’s halfhearted efforts have fallen flat.

A recent Change Research poll found progressive Alexis Rinck is the only Seattle municipal official with a positive approval rating. In contrast, Mayor Bruce Harrell, Council President Sara Nelson, City Attorney Ann Davison were all under water. Precinct results for the recent social housing funding measure indicate widespread progressive buy-in as well.

Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections Director Nathan Torgelson announced his resignation in an email to staff today. Torgelson and Mayor Bruce Harrell said the decision was mutual and pledged a smooth transition. Much work is on the department's plate in coming months.

Over his career, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has repeatedly covered for abusers, exhibiting a dismissiveness toward women and a pattern of punching down against vulnerable people rather than standing up to the powerful, Ron Davis writes.

Transit Riders Union leader Katie Wilson jumped in the race to be the next mayor of Seattle today. Our interview with Wilson covers what's motivating her to run and how she would deliver results where Mayor Bruce Harrell has failed.

Last month, actor and union representative Ry Armstrong jumped in the Seattle mayor's race, arguing Bruce Harrell is dropping the ball on a plethora of issues. In their interview with The Urbanist, Armstrong explained what they'd do differently.

Ron Davis dives into Mayor Bruce Harrell's record on public safety and ultimately deems his approach a failure. On his third police chief, Harrell has not delivered on campaign promises and the Seattle Police Department is still reeling and lacking accountability.