Seattle Election Review: One incumbent falls in primary

August 20, 2015

By Ballotpedia's Municipal government team

Seattle's 2015 elections mark a significant turning point in the history of Washington's largest city. Primary elections were held on August 4, 2015, and official results were certified on August 18. One incumbent, Jean Godden, was defeated in this primary election. Five others advanced to the general election. Three incumbents did not seek re-election.

Since 1910, Seattle had elected its council members in at-large elections, meaning voters elected candidates in citywide elections rather than dividing the city into smaller districts. In 2013, however, Seattle voters approved Proposed Charter Amendment No. 19. This amendment created seven new districts within the city, each of which is responsible for electing its own representative on city council. Two council members are still elected at-large.

The transition from at-large voting to district-based voting is taking place in conjunction with the city's 2015 elections. All nine city council seats are up for election, and the seven district members will serve four-year terms. Initially, the two at-large members will serve two-year terms. They will be up for election again in 2017 along with the mayor. After 2017, they will serve four-year terms. A map of Seattle's seven districts can be seen here.

A total of 47 candidates filed to run for nine seats in the primary election. This field was over twice the size of Seattle's previous two election cycle primaries combined. Ten candidates vied for four seats in the 2013 primary, while 13 vied for five seats in 2011. Backers of the charter amendment that voters approved in 2013 argued that district-based elections would lead to more candidates. Daniel Beekman of The Seattle Times wrote that the numbers seem to support this argument.

Primary results

• District 1: Shannon Braddock and Lisa Herbold advanced past seven others in the largest of the nine contests.
• District 2: Incumbent Bruce Harrell and Tammy Morales advanced past Joshua Farris.
• District 3: Incumbent Kshama Sawant and Pamela Banks advanced past three others.
• District 4: Rob Johnson and Michael J. Maddux advanced past three others. Incumbent Jean Godden was defeated in this primary.
• District 5: Sandy Brown and Debora Juarez advanced past six others.
• District 6: Incumbent Mike O'Brien and Catherine Weatbrook advanced past two others.
• District 7: Incumbent Sally Bagshaw and Deborah Zech Artis advanced past Gus Hartmann.
• District 8: Incumbent Tim Burgess and Jonathan A. Grant advanced past two others.
• District 9: Bill Bradburd and M. Lorena González advanced past four others.

Seattle City Council Position 1 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Lisa Herbold	30.1%	5,234
Shannon Braddock	27.8%	4,824
Phillip Tavel	18.2%	3,156
Brianna Thomas	10.2%	1,765
Charles R. Redmond III	7.3%	1,268
Jody Rushmer	2.1%	368
Karl Wirsing	1.4%	245
Arturo Robles	1.4%	240
Pavel Goberman	1.2%	204
Write-in	0.3%	58
Total Votes		16,247
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

Seattle City Council Position 2 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Bruce Harrell Incumbent	61.7%	8,066
Tammy Morales	24.7%	3,223
Joshua Farris	13.2%	1,725
Write-in	0.4%	55
Total Votes		13,069
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

Seattle City Council Position 3 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Kshama Sawant Incumbent	52%	11,675
Pamela Banks	34.1%	7,651
Rod Hearne	9.7%	2,168
Morgan Beach	2.1%	463
Leon Carter	1.9%	436
Write-in	0.2%	44
Total Votes		22,393
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

Seattle City Council Position 4 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Rob Johnson	32.8%	5,516
Michael J. Maddux	24.6%	4,138
Jean Godden Incumbent	19.7%	3,307
Tony Provine	14.1%	2,372
Abel Pacheco	8.4%	1,416
Write-in	0.3%	46
Total Votes		16,749
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

Seattle City Council Position 5 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Debora Juarez	39.3%	6,635
Sandy Brown	19.9%	3,360
Halei Watkins	14.4%	2,431
Kris Lethin	7.7%	1,307
Mercedes Elizalde	5.8%	985
Debadutta Dash	5.7%	968
David Toledo	5.7%	959
Hugh Russell	1.4%	231
Write-in	0.2%	27
Total Votes		14,718
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

Seattle City Council Position 6 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Mike O'Brien Incumbent	59.1%	12,403
Catherine Weatbrook	22.3%	4,680
Jon Lisbin	13.1%	2,751
Stan Shaufler	5.3%	1,107
Write-in	0.3%	53
Total Votes		20,994
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

Seattle City Council Position 7 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Sally Bagshaw Incumbent	76.6%	12,292
Deborah Zech Artis	13.4%	2,144
Gus Hartmann	9.3%	1,487
Write-in	0.7%	117
Total Votes		16,040
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

Seattle City Council Position 8 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Tim Burgess Incumbent	45.7%	54,771
Jonathan A. Grant	30.8%	36,937
John Roderick	15.9%	19,034
John Persak	6.9%	8,301
Write-in	0.6%	702
Total Votes		119,745
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

Seattle City Council Position 9 Primary Election, 2015
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
M. Lorena González	65%	77,839
Bill Bradburd	14.9%	17,895
Alon Bassok	9.1%	10,946
Thomas Tobin	7.8%	9,361
Omari Tahir-Garrett	1.5%	1,854
Alex Tsimerman	1.2%	1,470
Write-in	0.3%	344
Total Votes		117,895
Source: King County Elections, "Official primary election results," accessed August 12, 2015

See also

• Seattle, Washington municipal elections, 2015
• United States municipal elections, 2015

External links

• City of Seattle - Law, Rules and Information for Filers
• City of Seattle - 2015 Candidate List
• King County Elections - Official primary election results