The 2021 Seattle mayoral election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the Mayor of Seattle. It was won by former Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell, who defeated Lorena González. The nonpartisan primary election was August 3.
Incumbent mayor Jenny Durkan initially sought reelection but withdrew that December due to backlash from her handling of the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic in Seattle as well as the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest during the George Floyd protests.
González conceded to Harrell on November 4. The 17-point margin of victory was the largest of a non-incumbent candidate in a Seattle mayoral race since the 1969 election of Wesley C. Uhlman. Harrell assumed office on January 1, 2022, having previously held the position as acting mayor for five days in September 2017 upon the resignation of Ed Murray. Due to COVID-19, he was sworn in privately the prior week and held a small inauguration ceremony on January 4.
The 2021 election was the first in which mayoral candidates were eligible to use Seattle's democracy vouchers program, which has captured the interest of other cities.
Primary election Candidates Declared Clinton Bliss, medical doctor and small business owner Henry Dennison, rail worker and candidate for governor in 2020 James Donaldson, activist, former Seattle SuperSonics player, and candidate for mayor in 2009 Colleen Echohawk, executive director of the Chief Seattle Club Jessyn Farrell, state representative for the 46th district (2013–2017), candidate for mayor in 2017 Lorena González, president of the Seattle City Council (2020–present), at-large city council-member (2015–present) Bruce Harrell, former acting mayor (2017), former president of the Seattle City Council (2016–2020), former city council-member (2008–2016; 2016–2020), candidate for mayor in 2013 Andrew Grant Houston, renter, small business owner, and activist Arthur K. Langlie, businessman and grandson of former mayor of Seattle and governor of Washington Arthur B. Langlie Stan Lippman, disbarred attorney and perennial candidate Lance Randall, executive director of Southeast Effective Development Seattle Don L. Rivers, King County Metro worker Casey Sixkiller, deputy mayor of Seattle Omari Tahir-Garrett, activist and candidate for Seattle City Council District 2 in 2019 Bobby Tucker, author
Withdrew Jenny Durkan, incumbent mayor
Declined Gordon McHenry Jr., president and CEO of the United Way of King County Cary Moon, activist, urban planner, and runner-up for mayor in 2017 Teresa Mosqueda, city councillor (endorsed Lorena Gonzalez) Joe Nguyen, state senator (running for King County Executive) Nikkita Oliver, attorney, community activist and candidate for mayor in 2017 (running for Seattle City Council) Rebecca Saldaña, state senator (endorsed Lorena Gonzalez) Girmay Zahilay, member of the King County Council
Endorsements
Polling Graphical summary
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error ColleenEchohawk JessynFarrell LorenaGonzález BruceHarrell Houston CaseySixkiller Other UndecidedChange Research (D)Change Research (D)July 12–15, 2021617 (LV)± 4.3%10%6%12%20%6%4%9%32%Washington Research Group (D)Washington Research Group (D)July 13–14, 2021524 (LV)± 4.3%5%4%8%17%4%3%5%55%ALG Research (D)ALG Research (D)May 10–16, 2021500 (LV)± 4.4%7%7%11%23%3%5%3%41%GQR Research (D)GQR Research (D)March 23–28, 2021400 (LV)± 4.9%9%6%19%20%––8%38%
Forum + 2021 Seattle mayoral candidate forum Date Host Moderator Link Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan NonpartisanKey: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn Colleen Echohawk Lorena González Bruce Harrell Arthur Langlie Lance Randall Casey Sixkiller1 Jun. 29, 2021 Downtown SeattleAssociation Chris DanielsEssex Porter YouTube
Results By August 6, Echohawk, Farrell, and Houston had all conceded, and Harrell and González were viewed as the winners of the primary.
General election Candidates Lorena González, city council president Bruce Harrell, former city council president
Endorsements Endorsements in bold were made after the primary election.
Polling Graphical summary
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error LorenaGonzález BruceHarrell Other UndecidedChange Research (D)Change Research (D)October 12–15, 2021617 (LV)± 4.1%32%48%2%18%Strategies 360 (D)Strategies 360 (D)September 13–16, 2021450 (RV)± 4.6%33%40%–27%287 (LV)± 5.8%37%48%–15%GQR Research (D)GQR Research (D)September 11–14, 2021400 (LV)± 4.9%45%45%–10%Elway ResearchElway ResearchSeptember 7–9, 2021400 (LV)± 5.0%27%42%7%24%
Debates + 2021 Seattle mayoral debates Date Host Moderator Link Nonpartisan NonpartisanKey: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn Lorena González Bruce Harrell1 Oct. 14, 2021 KCTS9TVWWashington StateDebate Coalition Mary NamYouTube 2 Oct. 28, 2021 KCTS9TVWWashington StateDebate Coalition Essex Porter YouTube
Results
See also 2021 Seattle City Attorney election 2021 Seattle City Council election
Notes
Partisan clients
References
External links Official campaign websites Doctor Bliss for Mayor of Seattle Colleen Echohawk for Mayor Jessyn Farrell for Mayor
Bruce Harrell for Mayor Andrew Grant Houston for Mayor William Kopatich for Mayor Art Langlie for Mayor