Introduction

The November 4 2025 election is a pivotal moment for Seattle. This year, voters will decide on four key citywide positions: Mayor, City Attorney, and City Council Positions 8 and 9 (both at-large seats representing the entire city). These races will shape Seattle’s approach to public safety, homelessness, addiction, economic recovery, budgeting and more.

The key question: Will we swing back to the disastrous, divisive leftism of 2015-2021? We might.

With Progressives making very strong showings in the August primary, moderates must get out and vote to continue the measurable livability improvements we’ve seen since the disastrous 2015-2021 leftward turn in our city. From 2015-2021, nearly every livability metric worsened the more we moved toward these Progressive policies: crime, overdoses, affordability, and beauty. These declines started well before COVID, and it wasn’t a coincidence. Sensible policies matter. The leftist approach to municipal governance results in shuttered stores, higher costs, everyday goods locked behind glass cabinets, higher overdose rates, sprawling encampments, and general disorder. (More on that here.)

We must also realize that votes are RELATIVE, not absolute choices. Perhaps one of these four isn’t your ideal candidate, because they haven’t moved fast enough, or they fight an administration you might agree with. Or maybe you haven’t followed city politics super closely, and think Seattle has declined, so all city leaders are to blame, without realizing that their opponents who are knocking on the door are much further to the left. Or maybe you’ve followed it closely, and thrown up your hands and want to see it all just burn down.

Please don’t.

There has been significant progress since moderates took center stage in 2023. The Overton Window has moved toward more common-sense solutions. Homicide rates and encampments are down. Shiny new projects like the Waterfront downtown have opened. Stay-out-of-drug-area ordinances have improved some blocks. Net police officer counts have finally turned positive, if only barely. Response times are improving. A glimmer of life has come back to downtown.

Rest assured, the opponents of these four candidates would be disastrous for general affordability, safety and liveability for Seattle’s 700,000+ residents, but fantastic for the loud activist groups, graft, and division.

We have an opportunity to support practical, results-oriented leaders who prioritize outcomes, and the comity of all residents over ideologically-extreme activists. Dollars will be pouring into Seattle from outside the city to support the leftist candidates, if history is any indication. That’s because we are often a test-bed for the most extreme, as we’ve seen in the Kshama Sawant era.

If you’re wondering whom to vote for to help Seattle steer closer to the center, this Guide is for you. It builds on the 2023 Moderate Voters Guide, which recommended the centrist slate focused on accountability and common-sense solutions. Now, in 2025, I’m recommending the slate of moderates who have demonstrated commitment to these values.

There are four very easy choices: Nelson, Davison, Harrell and Savage.

Background

This guide is for political moderates: independents, centrist Democrats, centrist or moderate Republicans, and everyday “normie” voters who may not follow city politics closely but care about effective governance.

You’re a moderate if most or all of these things are true:

• You’re not on the extreme left or right, but the political middle.
• You’re a self-described liberal, independent or centrist.
• You’d like change from the often circus-like activist atmosphere you’ve seen at City Council.
• You think the needs of all stakeholders in Seattle’s 722,000 should be considered, not just the activists with the loudest voices or coziest connections.
• You think outcomes of programs matter far more than inputs or virtuous-sounding words.

I’m Steve Murch, a moderate with years of observing Seattle politics. I’m not writing on behalf of any organization, and no one paid me to write this. I live in the city, and have lived in King County since 1991.

In 2023, nearly all the moderates I recommended in the 2023 Moderate Voters Guide won: Joy Hollingsworth, Maritza Rivera, Cathy Moore, Rob Saka and Bob Kettle, shifting the council toward pragmatism. They joined existing moderates like Council President Sara Nelson (Position 9.) Mayor Bruce Harrell and City Attorney Ann Davison, elected in 2021, have also governed as moderates — Harrell as a centrist Democrat emphasizing public safety, and Davison as a former Democrat and moderate Republican, who has won national praise for her focus on repeat offenders and accountability in prosecution.

Worryingly, Progressive challengers really dominated the August 2025 primary, with Democrat Socialist candidates like Katie Wilson now leading Harrell for mayor, and similar trends in other races.

I reject the insane rhetrocial tactics like labeling centrists as somehow “far right.” There are no far-right candidates are in these races—all are Democrats or independents, all the Republicans are pro-choice, pro-gay-marriage, pro sensible-gun-control laws, and align with Democrat and majority-Seattle positions on most cultural issues. You can contrast the recommendations here with leftist progressive guides, like those from FUSE or The Stranger, which back candidates favoring extreme defunding police or lax enforcement.

Key issues remain: public safety, addiction (particularly the fentanyl crisis), affordability, homelessness, and budgeting.

Recommendations are based on candidates’ records, questionnaires (e.g., from the Seattle Human Services Coalition), and positions from outlets like The Seattle Times and candidate sites.

Recommendations

The Moderate Slate for 2025 Seattle Races:

Position	Recommended Candidate	Website
Mayor	Bruce Harrell (Incumbent)	https://www.bruceforseattle.com/
City Attorney	Ann Davison (Incumbent)	https://www.anndavison.com/
City Council Position 8	Rachael Savage	https://www.savagecitizens.com/
City Council Position 9	Sara Nelson (Incumbent)	https://saranelson.org/

Detailed Reasoning

My endorsements draw from candidates’ stances on core issues: supporting police hiring, prosecuting public drug use and low-level crimes, balancing compassion with accountability in homelessness policies, and advocacy for livability improvements for “normie” citizens, not just the extremes. Comparisons use data from primary results, questionnaires, and public statements.

Progressives often favor reducing public safety enforcement, while moderates prioritize results. Progressives also have a slew of additional tax hikes they’d like to pass, on top of the record-high taxes passed in Olympia this year ($9B in new taxes in 2025 — a new State record.)

Mayor: Bruce Harrell (Incumbent)

Why Harrell? As mayor since 2021, Harrell has focused on practical solutions, hiring more police to address understaffing, expanding mental health responses, and clearing dangerous encampments while increasing shelter capacity. He’s a centrist Democrat who supports business recovery and has vetoed extreme council proposals. In the SHSC questionnaire, Harrell emphasized data-driven homelessness strategies and public safety investments. Despite trailing Katie Wilson in the primary (43% vs. 48%), Harrell represents stability amid rising crime and economic challenges.

Comparison to Opponent (Katie Wilson): Wilson, a leftist progressive activist who founded the Transit Riders Union, advocates for rent control, much higher taxes on businesses, and reduced police funding– positions that echo failed past Progressive policies. These policies are inflationary. She opposes aggressive encampment enforcement, favoring “harm reduction” without real accountability. Harrell supports prosecuting public drug use and aims for 1,400 officers — a minimal total compared with cities of similar size — while Wilson leans toward defunding. Symbolically, you can expect she won’t be out there doing ride-alongs with the police any time soon.

Issue	Bruce Harrell	Katie Wilson
Support police hiring to 1,400 officers	Yes	No
Prosecute public drug use	Yes	No
Enforce encampment removals	Yes	No
Increase business taxes for social programs	No	Yes

Harrell’s approach has led to modest improvements in response times and shelter access; Wilson’s could reverse them.

Related post: 5 Reasons I’m Not Voting for Katie Wilson.

City Attorney: Ann Davison (Incumbent)

Why Davison? As the city’s top prosecutor, Davison has restored accountability by charging misdemeanor crimes like shoplifting and public drug use, which her progressive predecessor often declined. She’s a moderate Republican who collaborates with Harrell and the City Council on diversion programs but insists on enforcement. In primaries, she has trailed progressives Erika Evans and Dionne Foster, so she absolutely needs our help and support — but her strong record shows reduced case backlogs and focus on victim rights. Davison has solved the case backlog problem and is running an efficient shop.

In the Wall Street Journal, Ann’s approach has been lauded, “The latest evidence comes from Seattle, of all places, where City Attorney Ann Davison’s efforts are showing results.”

Comparison to Opponents (Erika Evans): Evans is a Progressive favoring restorative justice over prosecutions, similar to abolished-police advocates endorsed by groups like The Stranger. Evans opposes jail for low-level offenses. Davison supports diversion alternatives like LEAD but prosecutes when needed.

Issue	Ann Davison	Erika Evans
Prosecute misdemeanor crimes	Yes	No
Support drug court and diversion	Yes	Yes (but prioritize over jail)
Increase enforcement on public disorder	Yes	No

Davison’s tenure has contributed to safer streets; homicides will likely be an all-time low this decade. Her opponents risk returning to lax policies that fueled crime spikes.

City Council Position 8: Rachael Savage

Why Savage? A Capitol Hill business owner (crystal shop), Savage is a fresh voice boldly advocating for public safety and economic vitality. She’s launched an initiative to ban homeless camping citywide, emphasizing enforcement alongside an aggressive investment in services. As a longshot in the primary against incumbent Democrat Socialist-backed Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Savage prioritizes small business support, police funding, and practical homelessness solutions without endless spending.

Comparison to Opponent (Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Incumbent): Rinck, a Progressive, supports defunding police and opposes encampment sweeps, aligning with left-leaning policies that have frustrated moderates. Savage backs Harrell’s safety plans, while Rinck favors budget cuts and “equity” mandates over enforcement.

Issue	Rachael Savage	Alexis Mercedes Rinck
Ban public camping / Enforce removals	Yes	No
Increase police budget	Yes	No
Prosecute low-level crimes	Yes	No
Support small businesses over regulations	Yes	Maybe

Savage’s business perspective brings needed balance; Rinck’s could deepen divides.

City Council Position 9: Sara Nelson (Incumbent)

Why Nelson? As Council President, Nelson has been a breath of fresh air, and a truly moderate leader since 2021, championing police hiring, business relief, and encampment enforcement. She’s blocked extreme proposals and supported a public safety agenda, passing fifteen different ordinances focused on it. Despite trailing leftist challenger Dionne Foster in the primary, Nelson’s record also includes passing gig worker protections and drug ordinances.

Comparison to Opponent (Dionne Foster): Foster, a progressive, opposes police expansion and favors decriminalizing drugs, echoing activists who label moderates as conservative. Nelson supports prosecuting public use and hiring officers, while Foster pushes reductions.

Issue	Sara Nelson	Dionne Foster
Support police hiring	Yes	No
Prosecute public drug use	Yes	No
Enforce encampment laws	Yes	No
Reduce council’s activist focus	Yes	No

Nelson’s leadership has stabilized the council; Foster’s could shift it leftward.

Concluding Remarks

Vote for this moderate slate to build on 2023’s progress: Harrell for mayor, Davison for city attorney, Savage for Position 8, and Nelson for Position 9.

Ballots are due November 4—drop them off or mail postmarked by then. For more, check candidate sites and resources like the King County Voters’ Pamphlet. As a general rule, you can expect The Stranger and The Progressive Voters Guide to endorse the left-most candidate (usually strongly leftist, by national Gallup standards) in each race.

Let’s keep Seattle moving forward with balanced, effective leadership.