2025 Election

Nearly $200,000 in outside spending from a political action committee started by one Woodinville tech worker has upended local politics in the quiet suburb. The goal? Taking down a pro-growth council majority.

While SeaTac City Councilmember Peter Kwon came in first with nearly 28% of the vote in a six-way primary race to be District 5's next King County Councilmember, his campaign’s message has been high-level and light on specifics. In The Urbanist's interview with Kwon, a strong theme of tax-aversion emerged.

The Urbanist sat down with Steffanie Fain, who is running for King County Council’s District 5 seat and facing off with SeaTac City Councilmember Peter Kwon. Both position themselves as tax-averse fiscal hawks, but Fain expressed marginally more openness towards raising new revenue to tackle the numerous challenges facing King County.

Kirkland Councilmember Penny Sweet makes the case for why Shilpa Prem should be her successor on Council. The Urbanist Elections Committee agreed and endorsed Prem, too.

Bellingham is ranked the fourth most unaffordable housing market in the nation, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The city must embrace pro-housing policies: easing zoning restrictions, cutting red tape, and investing in mixed-income development, writes Bellingham City Council candidate Andrew Reding. 

The progressives running for the four Burien City Council seats up this year have the upper hand based on primary results. Sam Méndez, Hugo Garcia, Sarah Moore, and Rocco DeVito will have to close the deal in November to flip the council.

Friday's ballot count was very friendly to Seattle progressives, with mayoral challenger Katie Wilson exceeding the 50% mark with the boost. The election dynamics favor a progressive wave. Here's why.

After losing three consecutive mayoral races and six of nine Council seats in two years, Seattle progressives sealed their best Primary election in over a decade. Across the board, Seattle progressives head into November as favorites.