Early this month, Seattle municipal candidates faced off at a mobility and housing forum co-sponsored by a slate of organizations including The Urbanist. Candidates had sharp differences on the topic of taxing the rich to make investments in social infrastructure, but broadly agreed on boosting Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposed One Seattle Comprehensive Plan to add additional housing capacity.
In a nod to growing urbanist consensus — at least in rhetoric, if not follow through — candidates unanimously said they support expanding bus lanes, bike lanes, and sidewalks throughout the city.
Across the three council races and the mayor’s race, 18 candidates shared the stage at the Centilia Cultural Center at the El Centro de la Raza in Beacon Hill. Political consultant and Hacks and Wonks podcast host Crystal Fincher moderated the forum and The Urbanist was among a long list of cohosts. (Fincher also serves on The Urbanist’s board of directors). The hosts split the forum into three rounds. D2 contenders went first, both citywide city council races second, and the mayoral candidates went last.
Check out our mayoral forum recap for key takeaways in that high-profile race. The Council races are heating up, with challengers buoyed by recent polling showing incumbent Seattle councilmembers are increasingly unpopular. That could indicate Seattle Council President Sara Nelson is in for a tough race, while in contrast Alexis Mercedes Rinck remains one of the most popular city electeds after taking office earlier this year.
South Seattle’s District 2 is also up this year (two years ahead of schedule) due to the resignation of Councilmember Tammy Morales in January.
Here were all the candidates who participated:
Seattle City Council District 2
- Jeanie Chunn [Check out Urbanist interview]
- Adonis Ducksworth [Check out Urbanist interview]
- Eddie Lin [Check out Urbanist interview]
- Jamie Fackler [Check out Urbanist interview]
Seattle City Council Citywide Position 8
- Alexis Mercedes Rinck (incumbent) [Check out 2024 Urbanist interview]
- Ray A. Rogers
- Rachael Savage
Seattle City Council Citywide Position 9
- Dionne Foster [Check out recent Urbanist interview]
- Mia Jacobson
- Connor Nash
- Sara Nelson (incumbent)
Candidates differ on social housing measure
One significant point of distinction in this election is stances on social housing, and particularly the recent Proposition 1A ballot measure to fund it with an excess compensation tax, which went to voters in February and scored a 26-point victory.
In the District 2 race, union steward Jamie Fackler and Jeanie Chunn, who is an advocate for small businesses and workers’ rights, both said they voted for Proposition 1A and staunchly support social housing. Adonis Ducksworth, who is a transportation advisor to Mayor Bruce Harrell, told forum-goers he backed Prop 1A, but records indicate he did not vote in the special election. Seattle Office of Housing attorney Eddie Lin voted, but for the competing Proposition 1B.
Lin and Ducksworth have said they would respect the will of the voters, support the Seattle Social Housing Developer, and defend its funding source now that it’s been secured. That’s in line with other social housing skeptics, including Harrell himself, who seem to be getting on board after landslide victories at the polls.
