Update: Meet Seattle’s leading candidates for mayor and learn about their positions on key issues here.

It’s a big year in Seattle politics, with candidates lining up to replace current Mayor Jenny Durkan. She announced in December that she wouldn’t seek reelection.

Based on campaign contributions to date, the major contenders for Seattle mayor in 2021 are Andrew Grant Houston, Bruce Harrell, Colleen Echohawk, Jessyn Farrell, Lance Randall and M. Lorena González. They’re all using or seeking to qualify for Seattle’s taxpayer-funded Democracy Voucher program, which allows each voter to donate up to $100 in vouchers to city campaigns that abide by certain rules.

The deadline to file as a candidate is May 21. Ballots will be mailed out July 14 for the primary election, and will be due Aug. 3. Ballots for the general election are due Nov. 2. This post will be updated as the race moves ahead.

Colleen Echohawk is executive director of the Chief Seattle Club, a local nonprofit serving Indigenous people experiencing homelessness. Their Native Works program received $100,000 from the South King County Fund for Sovereignty Farms, a new apprenticeship program that pays people to farm an acre of land. Echohawk is an enrolled member of the Kithehaki Band of the Pawnee Nation and a member of the Upper Athabascan people of Mentasta Lake. 


Friday January 8, 2021. 216075 216075 (Bettina Hansen / The Seattle Times)

Colleen Echohawk

Echohawk is executive director of the Chief Seattle Club, which serves people experiencing homelessness, with a focus on Indigenous people.
Campaign website: https://www.echohawkforseattle.com/

Jessyn Farrell is a candidate for Mayor of Seattle. 202644 202644 (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

Jessyn Farrell

Farrell is a former state representative who works at the Civic Ventures think tank and is calling for a massive new regional housing plan.
Campaign website: https://www.jessynformayor.com/

Advertising
City Council President M. Lorena Gonzalez


Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021 in West Seattle. 216252 216252 (Amanda Snyder / The Seattle Times)

M. Lorena González

The City Council’s current president, González was previously a civil rights attorney and has pushed for higher taxes on big businesses.
Campaign website: https://lorenaforseattle.com/

Bruce Harrell, former Seattle City council member and candidate in 2021 for Seattle mayor.  (HO / )

Bruce Harrell

Harrell is a former City Council member who was often a swing vote between the council’s activist and moderate wings.
Campaign website: https://www.bruceforseattle.com/

Andrew Grant Houston, the Seattle mayoral candidate  (Photo by Justin Khanna)

Andrew Grant Houston

Houston is an urbanist who supports defunding the police and repealing apartment bans on residential blocks.
Campaign website: https://www.agh4sea.com/

Art Langlie, candidate for Seattle mayor, and grandson of Arthur B. Langlie, the former Seattle mayor and Washington governor. (Langlie for Mayor / )

Art Langlie

Art Langlie is a construction business executive and grandson of former Seattle mayor and Washington governor Arthur B. Langlie, who says he’ll bring a centrist approach to problems such as the homelessness crisis.

Campaign website: artlanglie.com

Seattle mayoral candidate Lance Randall   (courtesy of the campaign / )

Lance Randall

Randall is a musician at Seattle’s First AME Church and has worked on economic development for the city and a Rainier Valley nonprofit.
Campaign website: https://lancerandall2021.com/

Casey Sixkiller, currently a Seattle deputy mayor, is running for mayor.  (Courtesy of the campaign / )

Casey Sixkiller

Sixkiller is a longtime government staffer and lobbyist who’s served as Durkan’s deputy mayor for operations and King County Executive Dow Constantine’s chief operating officer.
Campaign website: https://sixkillerforseattle.com/