Seattle’s next mayor will help the city navigate an unprecedented period of growth and change. How that ship is steered is up to voters — and they have 21 candidates, with 21 different perspectives, to choose from.
It’s a race with big implications for Seattle’s tech community, which is fueling the city’s growth and will be impacted by a broad range of issues in this election, from transportation and housing to a new sports arena to taxes and business regulation. Withthe tech community’s vested interest in the race, GeekWire has partnered with KING 5, KUOW, and Seattle CityClub for tonight’s Seattle mayoral debate.
The debate features Jenny Durkan, Jessyn Farrell, Bob Hasegawa, Mike McGinn, Cary Moon, and Nikkita Oliver, selected based criteria that included polling results, fundraising, and endorsements. KING 5’s Natalie Brand and KUOW’s Ross Reynolds will moderate the debate, which runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
KING 5’s Chris Daniels and I will host “Debate Extra,” an informal after-show, interviewing candidates on issues that weren’t fleshed out during the debate and asking questions posed by audience members on social media.
Candidates’ opening statements are online here.
We’ve also asked each of the 21 candidates running for mayor six questions drafted with help from key members of the technology community. We’ll be publishing their answers, along with video from tonight’s debate, on GeekWire tomorrow.
Here’s some of the Tweet stream from tonight’s debate:
Should @MayorEdMurray resign following new information revealed Sunday? First #seamayor question: 4 candidates say yes, 2 cite due process. pic.twitter.com/rgzexzf3bG
— GeekWire (@geekwire) July 18, 2017
Mayor resign?
Durkan -believes in due process.
McGinn – Yes
Moon – Yes
Oliver – Yes
Hasegawa -let process play out.
Farrell – Yes#SEAMayor— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) July 18, 2017
“I strongly support expanding public housing by taxing corporations,” @mayormcginn says during #SeaMayor debate. pic.twitter.com/Ot2hwgtezX
— GeekWire (@geekwire) July 18, 2017
“Gentrification and the displacement is happening because the rent is just too damn high,” @bhasegawa says during #SeaMayor debate. pic.twitter.com/otqx8Cgi5S
— GeekWire (@geekwire) July 18, 2017
Affordable housing: @CaryCMoon supports tax on real estate speculators, corporate and foreign buyers like Vancouver BC. #SEAmayor pic.twitter.com/hVqTT3tqDH
— Amy Radil at KUOW (@AmyRadil) July 18, 2017
This rent stabilization question has turned into a mush… obviously city can control rents in public housing. #SEAMayor
— Jim Brunner (@Jim_Brunner) July 18, 2017
Homeless encampments: @JennyDurkan says people can’t be allowed to live in them. @michaelmcginn says city can prevent them. #SEAmayor pic.twitter.com/KxIsgaiUoQ
— Amy Radil at KUOW (@AmyRadil) July 18, 2017
“We can’t fit anymore cars on the street.” – @mayormcginn – calls for more buses, speeding up light rail. #SEAMayor
— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) July 18, 2017
.@NikkitaOliver says Seattle should “instill in our young people a culture of using public transportation.” #SEAMayor
— Jim Brunner (@Jim_Brunner) July 18, 2017
#SeaMayor candidate @bhasegawa says building municipal broadband will help Seattle’s transportation crisis by encouraging telecommuting. pic.twitter.com/LYZZ39iGLg
— GeekWire (@geekwire) July 18, 2017
We need to go to State level, streamline permits, @jessynfarrell1 says to improve light rail build outs in Ballard, West Seattle. #seamayor pic.twitter.com/jFGABRSVvX
— GeekWire (@geekwire) July 18, 2017
UW is the “gold standard” for getting people out of cars and into transit says @jessynfarrell1 #SeaMayor
— Monica Nickelsburg (@mnickelsburg) July 18, 2017
#SEAmayor candidate Cary Moon on creating public housing in the city. pic.twitter.com/jKWLygoNcS
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) July 18, 2017