Even though it is an “off-year” for elections, several large US cities are holding mayoral elections this year, including New York City and San Antonio. In Seattle’s open primary, millennial progressive activist and community organizer Katie Wilson (she/her) came in first, ahead of Seattle’s current establishment mayor. Now a run-off is scheduled for Election Day in November between the two. Katie is the co-founder and executive director of the Transit Riders Union, a group that focuses on improving public transport and workers' rights. As she says, “I am most passionate about making Seattle a city that's affordable for working families. That means tackling the affordable housing crisis, bringing people inside, protecting our immigrant and LGBTQ+ community members from attacks from the Trump administration, expanding workers' and renters' rights, and addressing the crisis of childcare for young families, among others issues our city faces.”

Where are you based?
Seattle, Washington

What is your position/what position are you running for?
Mayor of Seattle

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
I’m running to build affordable and abundant housing, get results on homelessness, and Trump-proof Seattle. Seattle should be a city where working families can afford to live and thrive.

What inspired you to run?
I was inspired to run for mayor after the incumbent mayor, who has been a fixture in city hall since 2008, opposed a measure to tax big corporations to fund social housing, which Seattle voters then approved in a landslide. More people are sleeping unsheltered on our streets than ever before. Working families are struggling to stay afloat. We can do so much better. And, as we face unprecedented national threats, we must do better.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
We need to make Seattle a city that our neighbors, parents, and kids can afford to call home. I will implement solutions to get homeless people inside, stabilize our affordable housing sector, build new social housing, and support small businesses so that Seattle can be a home to all of us, not just people making six figure incomes.

What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
I've spent my career fighting for working families, building powerful coalitions to win major victories that put money into people’s pockets and improved their daily lives. This includes passing initiatives to raise the minimum wage in south King County and, in Seattle, winning stronger protections for renters, winning free and reduced transit passes for low-income riders, and leading on the design and passage of the JumpStart Seattle Payroll Expense Tax on large corporations, which prevented devastating budget cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic and is funding thousands of units of affordable housing.

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
Seattle still has not solved homelessness and our city remains unaffordable to working families. I’ll open 4,000 new units of emergency housing and shelter in four years, reversing the shelter lost under the incumbent mayor. I’ll build social housing and pursue a $1 billion bond to build affordable housing.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
Americans are rightly frustrated with government that doesn’t prioritize or respond to their needs. They want their leaders to step up and tackle the big problems, especially the cost of living. While I know that making our city more affordable won’t heal divides all by itself, it will help restore some trust in our local government when residents see electeds focusing on the issues that matter most to them and their loved ones. I think that’s an important part of showing Americans that our government can work for them.

How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
As a woman, a mother, a renter, and a long-time community organizer, I have a good perspective on what it’s like to try to make ends meet in this expensive city. I’m not a corporate lawyer or someone who has held office for decades. As mayor, I will be guided by my experiences as a working mom and a member of the renting and working class.

What is your motto in life?
Grab the bull by the horns!

Where can we find out more about you?
On my website at wilsonforseattle.com. Or on social media, where you can learn about the cost of a slice of pizza and how it’s connected to the housing crisis.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2025 - Katie Wilson, Mayor of Seattle, WA