Cary Moon boosts lead over Nikkita Oliver in Seattle mayor’s race

Cary Moon expanded a slim lead over Nikkita Oliver in Wednesday returns as the two battled for second place in the primary election for Seattle mayor.

The urban planner’s advantage over the educator and attorney is now 1,978 votes, up from 1,457 in Tuesday returns.

Moon’s share of the vote grew from 15.6 percent to 15.7 percent, while Oliver’s share slipped from 13.9 percent to 13.8 percent, as about 15,000 additional ballots were counted.

The top two finishers in the nonpartisan race will advance to the Nov. 7 general election.

Jenny Durkan remained comfortably in first place, though her share of the vote shrank slightly, from 31.6 percent Tuesday night to 31.5 percent.

“We’re not yet claiming victory,” Moon said in a statement. “As an engineer, I want to make sure we have our facts right, and as a coalition builder I respect the positions of my fellow candidates. It’s going to take all of us working together to ensure our city’s future is not sold to the highest bidder. Let’s see what tomorrow’s counts show us.”

Former state Rep. Jessyn Farrell has 12 percent and said Wednesday that she would be very surprised to move into second place.

Ballots will be counted for several days. Results will be certified Aug. 15.

The Wednesday returns reflected neither ballots placed in drop boxes Tuesday night nor mailed ballots that were postmarked Tuesday, according to King County Elections.

In past Seattle elections, late ballots — some cast by younger voters — have boosted more activist candidates, such as City Councilmember Kshama Sawant.

Machine recounts are mandatory when candidates are separated by fewer than 2,000 votes and also less than 0.5 percent of the total votes cast for both candidates. Manual recounts are mandatory when the gap is fewer than 150 votes and less than 0.25 percent of the total votes cast for both candidates.

Candidates also can request recounts.

Before the new returns Wednesday, Oliver sounded optimistic.

“We definitely feel we have a good shot,” she said. “There are still a lot of ballots that have to be counted, and we know our voting bloc tends to vote later.”

Dollars and doors

Reflecting on the early returns, candidates and onlookers pointed to dollars, doors and The Stranger’s endorsement as keys in the race.

“Who raised the most money and had the most voter contact ended up being the top three,” said Nicole Vallestero Keenan, executive director of Seattle’s Fair Work Center who has been involved in local politics for years.

“And we have three talented, intelligent women who could be our next mayor.”

Durkan was the strongest fundraiser in the primary, followed by Moon (who contributed more than $90,000 of her own money), Oliver and Farrell, noted Dean Nielsen, a political consultant not involved in race.

“Money does talk and matter in politics,” Nielsen said.

Though Durkan enjoyed support from several big-name politicians and from business groups, some unions and The Seattle Times editorial board, the former U.S. attorney attributed her lead, in part, to her ground game.

“We met and connected with as many voters as possible,” she said, mentioning work by volunteers. “The secret weapon in my view was the best grass roots campaign I’ve ever been involved in.”

The candidate said her team in recent weeks reached more than 35,000 voters at their doors and over the phone.

“I was doorbelling and calling and going out and meeting with small groups and big groups,” Durkan said, arguing that her pitch of an inclusive Seattle pushing back against President Donald Trump resonated.

Farrell said she wished there had been more time to introduce herself to voters outside her 46th Legislative District turf in Northeast Seattle. She and Durkan entered the race the same week incumbent Mayor Ed Murray dropped out.

“I’m really pleased with how hard my campaign worked … but eight weeks was not enough time,” Farrell said. “Getting in so late had an impact.”

Someone new

Former Mayor Mike McGinn, who had 7.1 percent Wednesday despite being the primary’s best-known candidate, said he now recognizes that voters want to move on.

“The big bet for me was to what degree did I have support versus the appeal of somebody new,” he said. “I could sense this was a potential outcome.”

McGinn promised to “hold the line” on regressive taxes and rein in a bloated city budget, but with scant money, he struggled to get his message out.

“Raising some money to get mail to primary voters would have been helpful, but the narrative of looking for someone new … and the understandable desire for a woman candidate — both those things were very powerful,” McGinn said.

Barred from accepting donations while the Legislature was in session, state Sen. Bob Hasegawa also lacked funds.

Moon was among those surprised Tuesday night by her strong showing, which others credited in part to The Stranger endorsing her as the urbanist wonk Seattle needs to solve its affordability problems. The news outlet “has a lot of influence,” said McGinn, who was backed by The Stranger himself in 2009 and 2013.

“The labor and institutional left was Jessyn and The Stranger left was Cary Moon. The old-guard left was Bob Hasegawa,” said Christian Sinderman, a consultant for Farrell, describing a fragmented progressive electorate.

Oliver’s support came partly from voters who are “younger, more diverse and less trustful of institutional players,” he said.

For her part, Oliver said her election-night focus was on community organizing to help disadvantaged communities, rather than results.

“Our goal was to celebrate the work of over 1,100 volunteers,” she said. “We know organizing is really what’s going to move the needle in this city.”

Though expected to climb some with late ballots arriving, turnout in Seattle as of noon Wednesday was only 27 percent, according to King County Elections.

“In a low-turnout race, candidates with the money to get their messages out are going to make it through,” Hasegawa campaign manager Michael Fertakis said.

Information in this article, originally published Aug. 2, 2017, was corrected Aug. 9, 2017. A previous version incorrectly stated the circumstances under which a manual recount would be mandatory.