Washington Election 2025: Key Races Tighten as Ballot Counts Continue
Seattle Mayoral Race: Harrell’s Lead Narrows as More Ballots Arrive
In the Seattle mayoral contest, Bruce Harrell opened Election Night with a strong lead. However, subsequent ballot updates have steadily tightened the race. Harrell now leads by 9,908 votes, with approximately 100,000 ballots still left to be counted in Seattle. The next few ballot drops will reveal whether the narrowing trend continues or if a more significant shift occurs in the final tally.
King County Executive Race: Zahilay Gains Ground
The King County Executive race began as a virtual tie on Election Night. Since then, Girmay Zahilay has gradually expanded his lead with each update. Around 150,000 ballots remain to be counted countywide. Because voting behavior tends to vary more in a countywide race than in Seattle’s local elections, there’s still room for meaningful movement in either direction as the remaining ballots are tallied.
Legislative Races: Eyes on Kevin Schilling’s Tight Contest
In the state Legislature, one of the most closely watched races involves Kevin Schilling, a candidate viewed as a pragmatic housing ally. Schilling led on Election Night but has since slipped just behind. Given that voting patterns in this district have fluctuated significantly from one election cycle to the next, further shifts are still possible as ballot counting continues.
Meanwhile, in Spokane, City Councilmember Jonathan Bingle is holding on to his Election Night lead — though the margin has tightened to within double digits.
Housing Supporters Celebrate Key Victories
Despite several races still in flux, housing advocates have reason to celebrate.
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Mark Mullet, former State Senator and long-time housing ally, secured a decisive win in the Issaquah mayoral race.
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In King County Council District 5, Steffanie Fain appears headed for a clear victory.
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In Bellevue, Councilmember Jared Nieuwenhuis is on track for another term following a strong showing at the polls.
Together, these results signal continued momentum for leaders prioritizing pragmatic housing solutions across the region.