The2025 Seattle mayoral election was held on November 4, 2025, with a primary election that was held on August 5, 2025, to elect themayor ofSeattle.[4] Incumbent MayorBruce Harrell ran for election to a second term and was challenged by community organizerKatie Wilson, who placed first in the Augustnonpartisan primary.[5]
The Seattle Times and other outlets called the election for Wilson over a week after election day,[6] with Harrell conceding to Wilson on November 13.[7] Wilson ultimately won by a margin of 0.73%, the closest mayoral election in Seattle by percentage since 1906.[1][8]
Harrell announced his campaign for a second term in December 2024, and entered the race with the endorsement of numerous Washington government officials.[9] Harrell was initially considered to be heading to an easy re-election.[10][11] If re-elected, Harrell would have become the first Seattle mayor elected to a second term sinceGreg Nickels in2005.
In a February 2025 special election, Seattle voters passed Proposition 1A, which created a new business tax to fundsocial housing, over Proposition 1B, an alternative proposal endorsed by Harrell and business leaders that would have pulled funding for social housing from an existing tax.[12][13] The result was widely considered to be a victory for Seattle's progressive wing, and a rebuke of Harrell heading into an election year.[14]
Community organizer and activistKatie Wilson's entry into the race in March was considered to be a significant progressive challenge to Harrell. Wilson, the co-founder and general secretary of the Seattle Transit Riders Union and a former columnist forCascade PBS, had led activist campaigns for expanded public transportation access, minimum wage increases, and tenant protections across the Seattle area. Wilson said the passage of Proposition 1A had inspired her campaign.[10] As of the campaign filing deadline in May, Wilson was the second-highest fundraising candidate in the race, after Harrell.[15] Another high-profile progressive challenger was actor Ry Armstrong, the only candidate other than Harrell and Wilson to raise more than $100,000 in funding by the campaign filing deadline in mid-May.[15]
Around the May filing deadline, several additional candidates entered the race. Joe Mallahan, formerT-Mobile US vice president and runner-up in the2009 Seattle mayoral election, became another high-profile entrant. Mallahan lost toMike McGinn by just 7,200 votes in 2009.[16]Capitol Hill business owner Rachel Savage cited Mallahan's entry and wealth as her reason for bowing out of the race and running forSeattle City Council District 8 instead.[17] Harrell would ultimately face seven primary challengers, including Wilson, Armstrong, and Mallahan.[18]
Toshiko Grace Hasegawa,Port of Seattle Commissioner from Position 4 (2022–present)(co-endorsement with Wilson, previously sole endorsement of Harrell)[61]
Toshiko Grace Hasegawa,Port of Seattle Commissioner from Position 4 (2022–present)(co-endorsement with Harrell, previously sole endorsement of Harrell)[61]
A consultant representing Harrell from Northwest Passage Consulting predicted that Harrell would be favored in the counting of the final ballots. Independent analysts of the election predicted Wilson will win based on previous results of late ballots for progressive candidates.[75]Decision Desk HQ originally called the race for Harrell, but later retracted the call.[76][77][78] By November 11, a narrow majority of the counted ballots were cast for Wilson.[79] On November 12, some media organizations called the race for Wilson.[80]Decision Desk HQ made a call for her the next day.
Wilson prevailed in denser areas, leading in more heavily-urbanized precincts of theCapitol Hill and theCentral District, as well as performing strongly in the areas with prominent multi-family developments. Furthermore, she did well with younger voters[81], securing the precinct hosting theUniversity of Washington. Conversely, Harrell led in the city's wealthier[82] coastal areas and neighborhoods with more common single-family housing.[83][84]
Harrell narrowly outran Wilson in the portion of the seventh district representing most of the city[86]He secured just slightly more than half of the vote there, prevailing by 4,045 votes. In contrast, Wilson won in the smaller portion of the ninth district representing the southeast portion of Seattle[87], winning by 6,056 votes.[88] Their performance mirrored the2021 election, when Harrell carried the seventh district and González led in the ninth; however, Harrell ceded ground in both, losing 9.84% and 7.24% of the vote, respectively.[89]
^Hall, Seattle City; Council, focusing on the City; mayor; Office, City Attorney’s; Agencies, Other City (November 12, 2025)."Katie Wilson elected Seattle's next mayor".The Seattle Times. RetrievedNovember 12, 2025.
^Nir, David Murphy; Singer, Jeff (August 28, 2025)."Morning Digest: How a one-time long-shot became the frontrunner in Seattle".The Downballot. RetrievedAugust 28, 2025.Any favorable reshuffle grew even less likely for Harrell on Wednesday, when businessman Joe Mallahan, who took a distant third place with 4%, endorsed Wilson.
^Radil, Amy; Raftery, Isolde (November 6, 2025)."In Seattle mayor's race, history gives Katie Wilson supporters reason to hope".www.kuow.org.But Kaushik argued the night after election day that Katie Wilson is still favored to win. "I would say the preponderance of evidence says the shift will be a little bit bigger than seven points but who knows," he said.
Congressional district results
State legislative district results
County Council district results
Precinct results
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