Seattle Socialist Wins Mayor Race After Late Ballot Dumps and Eight Days of Counting [WATCH]

Democratic mayoral candidate Katie Wilson has defeated incumbent Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, according to projections released Wednesday by Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ). The call came eight days after polls closed, following a series of late-arriving ballots that shifted the race in Wilson’s favor. Wilson received 50.2% of the vote, compared to Harrell’s 49.5%, DDHQ reported.

Harrell led in the early stages of vote counting, prompting DDHQ to initially project him as the winner on November 6. At that time, the outlet believed roughly 100,000 ballots remained uncounted. However, DDHQ rescinded its projection the next day after King County Elections clarified that the number of outstanding ballots was significantly higher than initially reported.

Washington is one of eight states that conduct elections entirely by mail and does not require voter identification for mail-in ballots.

Wilson, an activist who has been compared to incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, described herself as a “socialist” in a September 13 interview with The Seattle Times. She said she was downplaying the term during the campaign but added, “yes, I’m fine with being called a socialist.” Wilson, 43, is the daughter of two academics. Reports indicate that her parents financially support her and her unemployed husband.

In the August 5 nonpartisan primary, Wilson defeated Harrell with just over 50% of the vote. Under Washington state law, both candidates advanced to the November 4 general election regardless of the primary outcome.

Wilson received the endorsement of the King County Democrats, while Harrell secured support from several prominent Democratic officials, including Governor Bob Ferguson, Senator Maria Cantwell, and Representative Adam Smith, who represents part of Seattle in the House.

Representative Pramila Jayapal endorsed Wilson on October 6, writing on X that she was “proud to endorse her.” Jayapal said Wilson “will be a fighter for the principles of equity, immigrant justice, civil rights, and fundamental democratic rights that are all under threat right now.” She cited Wilson’s primary performance as the basis for her support.

Interestingly, Jayapal had previously endorsed Harrell before the primary, and her endorsement remained listed on his campaign website. Jayapal is a senior member of Congress who chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus for six years.

Wilson is the co-founder and leader of the Transit Riders’ Union, which describes itself as an “independent, democratic, member-run union of transit riders organizing for better public transit in Seattle, King County, and beyond.” Her campaign platform emphasized “climate action and environmental justice,” “police accountability,” “racial equity,” and increasing “new progressive revenue,” according to her campaign website. She also pledged to “Trump-proof” Seattle, echoing language used by Mamdani in his own campaign in New York City.

Her campaign website recounts her political involvement in Seattle dating back to May 1, 2006. “One of my first political acts in Seattle was joining the massive march for immigrants’ and workers’ rights on May 1, 2006,” the site states. “That’s the Seattle I believe in. We stand up for the most vulnerable. We believe in democracy, climate action, robust public services, and good jobs. But all of that is under threat like never before.”

Seattle-based radio host Ari Hoffman commented on X as additional ballots were counted. “Katie Wilson didn’t win an election, Bruce Harrell lost one,” Hoffman wrote Monday night. He added, “In desperation to get re-elected rather than doing his job, he tried to out progressive a progressive. He had no ballot harvest or ballot curing operation & his social media was non existent.”

Hoffman also criticized Seattle’s election process, calling the “mail-in ballot system” a “joke” and pointing to the slow pace of counting. “King County elections claims they are ‘verifying’ each ballot,” he wrote.

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This election highlights shifting political dynamics in Seattle, signaling potential changes in the city’s leadership and priorities under Mayor-elect Katie Wilson.
https://www.lifezette.com/2025/11/seattle-socialist-wins-mayor-race-after-late-ballot-dumps-and-eight-days-of-counting-watch/

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