Seattle August 2025 Ballot

zak

Overall

King Country Prop 1

  • 230$ per 1M$ of housing assessed value public lands at a time when such funding is being cut at the federal level => vote yes

Seattle Prop 1 - Renewal of Democary Voucher Program

  • 15$ per 1M$ assessed housing value
  • Lowers barriers to civic engagement and encourages it.

Seattle Mayor

  • https://news.ballotpedia.org/2025/07/08/nine-candidates-running-in-august-5-primary-for-mayor-of-seattle-washington/ 
  • As of July 2, Harrell had raised $450,000 and spent $132,000. Wilson raised $450,000 and spent $60,000. Armstrong raised $101,104.47 and spent $81,000. Mallahan has raised $116,000 and spent $11,000.
    • Harrel
      • Incumbent already in position has not lived up
    • Wilson
      • (+) On top of tiny homes, likes additional support avenues like faith communities and acquisitions since multi-pronged approach seems practical
      • Endorsed by stranger
      • (+) Supports public housing and land trusts
      • Generally addresses broad aspects of issues
        • Touches on environment impact of a commuting workforce due to housing
        • Highlights the impact to our culture where housing is expensive to the point of exclusion
      • (+) Wants housing to be union-built
      • (+) Taxes & revenue proposals are interesting and progressive
        • vacancy tax discourages vacant housing
        • digital ads tax
        • estate tax
        • Proposes using bonds for funding, which seems practical
      • (+) Like idea to fund 50 reporters not subject to private sector biases
      • (+) Like approach to lower barriers for child-care facilities to open
      • (+) Supports alternative response
    • Armstrong =>
      • Priorities only has a plan for housing
      • Like their tax on vacant lots
      • Like their plan to stabilize rents
    • Mallahan => website dead: https://www.joemallahanforseattlemayor.com/ 

Seattle City Council Pos. 8

As per the Stranger endorsement. Rinck is the main candidate on the basis of experience. Based on confirming this against the other candidate's webpages and based on good work Rinck is already doing for Seattle, voting for her.

Seattle City Concil Pos. 9

  • Sara Nelson (incumbent)
    • (-) Backs SOAP & SODA zones
    • Priorities are mostly references to results rather than future-projected approaches
  • Dionne Foster
    • Endorsed by the Stranger
    • (+) Talks about supporting unions (not mentioned on Nelson's priorities)
    • (+) Supports tiny homes (Nelson mentions general spending on housing, but no mention of any specific lever/ approach other than building more)
    • (+) Supports CARE alternative response

Seattle City Attorney

  • Rory O'Sullivan
    • academic & advocate
    • Like prioritization of off-ramps, community courts, and focus on addressing recidicivism
  • Erika Evans
    • Stranger endorsement (though Stranger states that other candidates are good as well, which is also stated by other candidates on Hacks & Wonks interviews - Rouse, Sullivan. Endorsement based on electability & experience)
    • (+) Indeed has more experience in courts and with prosecution
    • Supports alternatives like community courts and LEAD
    • Support for holding employers accountable, which has broad impact to Seattle's struggling workforce
  • Nathan Rouse
    • public defender

King County Executive

  • Claudia Balducci
    • Solid candidate, platform is strong and tracks common relevant priorities (housing, public safety, transit)
  • Girmay Zahilay
    • On top of currently tracked items like housing and public safety, universal childcare is listed as a priority

Position Summaries