Progressive challenger Katie Wilson widened her lead over incumbent Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
The latest vote count from King County Elections shows Wilson holding 50.08% of the vote to Harrell’s 49.59%, a margin of 1,346 votes — 137,217 to 135,871.
With just a few thousand ballots left to count, the race falls within Washington’s automatic recount threshold of less than 0.5% and fewer than 2,000 votes.
Harrell, who led by more than 10,000 votes in early returns and held an eight-point advantage after Election Day, has seen his margin steadily erode as late ballots — often skewing younger and more progressive — were processed.
“This is a very familiar pattern in Seattle,” Wilson told KOMO News. “We see progressive votes coming in late, younger votes coming in late. Older people get their ballot in the mail… Young people wait till the very last minute.”
Analysts say the trend reflects Seattle’s generational and ideological divide: early voters tend to favor incumbents and moderates, while late voters often support progressive candidates like Wilson.
The former Transit Riders Union co-founder has campaigned on expanding social housing, stronger renter protections, and a local capital-gains tax to fund city programs.
Harrell, seeking a second term, has focused on public safety, homelessness, and economic recovery, arguing that his administration has stabilized the city after years of disruption. He has opposed new local taxes and emphasized continuity in city leadership.
Despite trailing early, Wilson has expressed confidence in her late-ballot momentum and framed her campaign as part of a broader national shift toward progressive governance.
In the August primary, Wilson finished ten points ahead of Harrell. Both candidates have cited homelessness and public safety as top concerns but diverge sharply on revenue, taxation, and the pace of housing reform.
Updated results will continue to be posted daily around 4 p.m. until all ballots are counted, according to King County Elections.
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