Bruce Harrell concedes Seattle mayoral race to Katie Wilson

Standing in the vaulted lobby of Seattle City Hall Thursday, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell conceded the mayor’s race to his challenger Katie Wilson.

"I just spoke to mayor-elect Katie Wilson to congratulate her on a hard-fought victory," Harrell said. "I let her know my team is standing by [for transition]. It was a very delightful conversation."

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Harrell said, although he was leaving office, he would stay involved in the city's future.

"Seattle will be fine," he said. "I'll make sure of that. I'm not retiring. I'm not going anywhere."

Harrell also said he didn't know yet what role he would play in the coming years.

"I haven't written my next chapter yet," he said. "Many of you know I'm a man of faith. He writes our next chapters."

On the issue of affordability Harrell warned that no mayor can bring down housing prices alone, adding, "There has to be economic development -- we can't lose jobs in Seattle, they have to understand that," referring to the incoming administration.

And he bristled over a question on whether he understood the economic anxieties of people living in Seattle, calling it "almost offensive" and saying the city's poor "had my attention and energy."

With that, Harrell became the fourth Seattle mayor in a row who will serve the city for just a single term. The last mayor to be kept on by voters was Greg Nickels, who was reelected two decades ago. Harrell’s announcement also marks a sweeping victory for Seattle progressives, who this year ousted moderate incumbents for mayor, city attorney, and city council president.

The contest for mayor was by far the closest of the three. Harrell was seven points ahead on election night. His progressive challenger Katie Wilson overtook Harrell as later ballots were counted this week, but her margin of victory Wednesday stood at less than 1%.

National journalists drew comparisons between Wilson’s campaign and that of New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani; both identify as democratic socialists and campaigned via light-hearted videos about affordability challenges in their cities.

Harrell’s supporters vastly outspent Wilson’s in terms of campaign advertising. Harrell received more than triple the funding in independent expenditures, from business and real estate interests among others.

Harrell’s term was marked by a decrease in crime, improved police hiring, and the city’s exit from more than a decade of federal oversight of policing. He was forced to fire his first police chief, Adrian Diaz, for dishonesty.

In the wake of that scandal, the administration brought former King County Sheriff Sue Rahr out of retirement to guide the police department, and ultimately hired Chief Shon Barnes who Wilson praised during the election. Harrell also inaugurated the CARE department with new teams of unarmed crisis responders.

RELATED: Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz sues city over firing, claims he faced retaliation

Harrell oversaw the revitalization of the waterfront in anticipation of next year’s FIFA World Cup and worked to support the downtown core, where over a third of office space is vacant.

But the election mostly centered on voter anxiety over the Trump administration as well as homelessness, a shortage of affordable housing, and other cost-of-living issues.

Wilson has pledged to create 4,000 units of emergency housing, including 1,000 tiny homes. She also pledged to seek new progressive revenue to offset cuts by the Trump administration.

Wilson founded the advocacy group the Transit Riders Union, which has campaigned for higher minimum wages and new taxing authority to fund the city’s “social housing” initiative.

Voters will also likely see a proposal to renew the city’s Transportation Benefit District sales tax for expanded bus service in Seattle. The Riders Union's new general secretary, Wes Mills, said he hopes the city will “go big” on renewing that measure.

Harrell’s time in city government extends back to multiple terms on the City Council from 2008 to 2020, the last four years as council president. He led efforts to pass “ban the box” legislation, which restricts private employers from asking job applicants on their application whether they have a criminal record. He also championed the adoption of body cameras by Seattle police.

During the campaign this fall, Harrell said he is proud of his proposals to increase housing density. He noted his proposed comprehensive plan would double the number of potential housing units to 330,000.

Harrell grew up in Seattle’s Central District. His father was Black, and his mother was Japanese American. Both were city employees.

Harrell told KUOW he wants a Seattle where people of limited means, like his own parents if they were alive, could still afford to live.