Previewing Seattle City Council’s Position 8 at-large primary race

In the primary election on Aug. 3, Seattle voters be deciding on two at-large city councilmembers. We’ve broken down the main candidates in the race for Position 8, the first of those two seats.

Teresa Mosqueda (incumbent)

Teresa Mosqueda was first elected to city council in 2017, defeating Jon Grant by a 60% to 40% margin. This year will mark her first run for re-election. Over her tenure on the council, she led efforts to pass the city’s JumpStart big business tax, and assisted in drafting a voter-approved initiative to give Washington workers guaranteed paid sick and safe leave.

Her priorities for her next term include using JumpStart funds to provide assistance to small businesses, as well as fund $135 million in affordable housing, shelter spaces, and permanent supportive housing.

She has raised roughly $177,000 across 3,327 individual contributors. In recent polling from the Northwest Progressive Institute (NPI), she garnered 26% of votes, the most of any candidate in the at-large race.

Kate Martin

Kate Martin has been a presence in Seattle politics for years now, having run for city council on numerous occasions. In 2016, she also led the push for Initiative 123, which sought to establish a “Public Development Authority” in an effort to preserve a portion of the Alaskan Way Viaduct to use as an elevated park along the waterfront. Voters ultimately voted down the measure.

On her campaign website, Martin voices her goal to “support, fully fund and continuously improve the police force.” To address Seattle’s homeless crisis, she proposes the use of “pod-style dorms and recovery campuses” at local colleges.

She’s raised over $22,000 across 420 contributors, and received 6% of votes in the NPI’s recent polling.

Paul Glumaz

Paul Glumaz has raised the third most money of any candidate in the Position 8 race, having brought in just over $11,500 across 376 contributors.

In his statement published in King County’s primary election guide, he says that he is running for city council “to stop the transformation of the City of Seattle into a broken-down, impoverished crime ridden and drug infested slum.”

He proposes moving the city’s homeless off the streets and into substance abuse treatment, while constructing “emergency transitional facilities” in vacant industrial areas to support that plan. Glumaz also labels funding for the Seattle Police Department as his “first priority.”

Glumaz garnered 3% of votes in the NPI’s polling.

Jordan Elizabeth Fisher

Jordan Elizabeth Fisher, a former mortgage lender, touts the need for “a millennial perspective” in Seattle city government, pushing for the use of blockchain technology to “audit the efficiency and effectiveness” of city processes.

She believes that incorporating blockchain into the city’s infrastructure would save Seattle over $1.3 billion, by giving unions “a private platform” to track employer misconduct, streamlining access to personal records, and enhancing the city’s existing Democracy Voucher platform.

Fisher hasn’t received any individual contributions, but has reported putting roughly $3,300 of her own money into her campaign. She garnered 1% of votes in the NPI’s polling for the Position 8 race.

Kenneth Wilson

A civil engineer who runs his own consulting business, Kenneth Wilson says that he’s running for city council based on the belief that Seattle “needs someone with technical expertise to help improve the livability of Seattle, especially with much of the city’s crumbling infrastructure in need of attention.”

His agenda includes a focus on “transitional infrastructure” for the city’s homeless population, upgrading and maintaining Seattle’s bridges and roadways, and building out an “urban forest” of trees to help address carbon emissions.

Similar to Fisher, Wilson has yet to raise money from individual contributors, but has put almost $3,000 of his own money into his campaign. He also received 1% of support in the NPI’s mid-July poll.

Brian Fahey

Brian Fahey, an HVAC trade worker who manages “multiple Class-A High-Rise operations” in downtown Seattle, describes campaign finance as “one of the largest issues we face in a representative democracy.”

In his statement in the King County voter’s guide, he proposes tying education to “a progressive B&O tax to reduce the burden on the surrounding areas and eliminate the need for levies.” Additionally, he cites the need for a police department “that respects our city and its views,” and that more accountability is required in order for the Seattle Police Department to fulfill its role.

He has not raised money from contributors, but reports having put nearly $2,000 of his money into his campaign. He did not receive any votes in the NPI’s polling.

Jesse James

A local musician, Jesse James describes himself as a “populist” candidate, and the founder of what he calls the “Players Party.”

His main priorities include supporting small businesses, legalizing card rooms, lowering the requirements to qualify for Democracy Vouchers, repealing Seattle’s sweetened beverage tax, and putting more resources into mental health and rehabilitation for the city’s homeless.

He has raised $310 across six individual contributors, and received 1% support in the NPI’s poll.

Also registered to run are Alexander White, Bobby Lindsey Miller, and Alex Tsimerman, who have all raised $0, and have not contributed money to their own campaigns. For more information you can read King County’s voter guide here. 

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