A Business-Friendly Seattle City Council?
Seattle District Elections – Important Opportunity for Seattle REALTORS®
Next year seven of the nine Seattle Council seats will be up for election from districts rather than the current citywide election for all council seats. This represents an opportunity for REALTORS® to be engaged and help elect REALTOR®-friendly candidates.
SEATTLE KingCounty REALTORS® is preparing for Seattle’s transition to district city Council elections in 2015.
Last year, Seattle voters chose to elect City Council members from districts, rather than the current citywide election for all council seats.
In 2015, all nine Seattle City Council seats will be up for election. Seven districted councilmembers will be elected to four-year terms. The remaining two at-large councilmembers will be elected to two-year terms. (In 2017, the two at-large seats will be elected to four-year terms.)
The transition to districts is a significant change and has the potential to refocus the work of the Council on more neighborhood-level issues like pot holes and burnt out street lights. For the first time, councilmembers will be accountable to specific neighborhoods within the city.
District elections will change the council. How much and in what ways are open questions.
District elections offer an important opportunity to SKCR. REALTOR® offices are organized at a neighborhood level. Many members are neighborhood experts — and very much part of the community fabric. REALTORS® have the opportunity to get involved like never before and help elect REALTOR®-friendly candidates.
Because district elections are new to Seattle, there’s no political campaign formula for a district win. Candidates might be viable in a district context who might not be viable in a city-wide election because they do not fit the traditional profile of a Seattle City Council candidate (such as civic experience, progressive credentials, and a support base with city-wide appeal).
SKCR will be developing district-by-district outreach in the coming months. If you would like to get involved in meeting candidates and sharing with them our goals for a healthy real estate market and a sustainable community, please contact David Crowell.
Seattle Districts