SEATTLE — The results of the special election to recall Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant were certified on Friday. She will retain her seat as a councilmember.
Thursday was the last day for the office to count all the ballots that came in during last week’s special election as the “No” vote to keep Sawant in her council seat had a 306 vote lead over the “Yes” votes to remove her.
Sawant claimed victory with 50.4% of the vote.
Only 149 were still outstanding, which were not enough to change the outcome of the vote.
More than 41,500 ballots were returned for a 53.5% turnout for the District 3 special election.
A recall question on the ballot cited three charges against Sawant: a minor campaign finance violation that Sawant acknowledged and for which she paid a fine; her alleged leadership of a protest march to the home of Mayor Jenny Durkan, even though Durkan’s address was protected by a state confidentiality law due to her prior work as a federal prosecutor; and her decision to let a crowd of protesters into City Hall while it was closed due to the pandemic.
A leader of the Kshama Solidarity Campaign, Bryan Koulouris, told the Seattle Times that part of the councilmember’s success was due to her progressive ideas.
Henry Bridger II, the Recall Sawant campaign manager, sent out a statement and said in part:
“While this election will not end with removing Councilmember Sawant from office, her narrow escape sends a clear message: Seattle voters are yearning for constructive representation and will not tolerate slash-and-burn politicians who shirk accountability and divide the city. Sawant is supposed to represent all of us, not just those who agree with her, and we hope that this election leads her to see that.”
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