by John Stafford

INTRODUCTION

The arguments for the Seattle City Council’s 2015 transition to district elections (of the nine seats, seven are elected by district and two are at-large) are well-chronicled.  District elections increase the prospects for the representation of people of color by enabling districts with large concentrations of them to maintain their demographic voting advantage, which would be diluted in a citywide race.  Indeed, the 2015 elections produced a council with five women, four people of color and a socialist.  Second, the lower spending requirements for district elections induce more candidates to run, which increases the scope of public dialogue.  In 2015, there were 47 candidates (for nine seats) relative to 10 candidates (for four seats) in 2013.  Third, district elections encourage policy that promotes neighborhood distinctiveness.  Fourth, the district focus places an emphasis on the basics of city service – neighborhood policing, parks maintenance, trash collection, etc. – that are at the heart of city government.  Fifth, they generate broader civic engagement and ground-up rather than top-down policy.  Finally, district elections encourage more equal representation across socio-economic groups, rather than a more concentrated representation of affluent interests. Continue reading New City Council Dynamics Have Shaken Up Seattle →