State Senator Ed Murray is still leading Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn in the race for mayor after a new vote count was released about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Murray had 33,585 votes to McGinn’s 30,584. So far there have been 112,880 ballots counted.
Murray and McGinn were the frontrunners after the primary election Tuesday night with Murray leading by 2,884 votes. Only one batch of results was released Tuesday, the day ballots had to be postmarked, and the Wednesday afternoon results was the only updated expected Wednesday.
Former City Councilman Peter Steinbrueck, one of the top four contenders in the mayoral race, conceded Wednesday morning.
The results are next expected to be updated Thursday afternoon about 4:30 p.m.
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Mike McGinn
McGinn, a Greenwood neighborhood activist and state chair of the Sierra Club, was elected the 52nd mayor of Seattle in November 2009. He upset Mayor Greg Nickels in that year's primary, and defeated community organizer and Real Networks executive Joe Mallahan in the general election.
McGinn has advocated for bike trails, and hired a former Cascade Bicycle Club advocacy director as a top-paid adviser. He joined police in targeting backpage.com, an online classified ad service, arguing it made things too easy for underage prostitution. McGinn also has been a supporter of marijuana legalization and taxation, supporting Initiative 502 and speaking at Hempfest, Seattle's pro-pot rally that is the world's largest.
In making his case for re-election, McGinn told KIRO 7 that Seattle's economy is doing better than it was in 2009 and crime is down. He said his mistake years ago was coming in and trying to change things all at once. In his time as mayor, McGinn has angered former Gov. Chris Gregoire, had battles with the City Council, and last week the Downtown Seattle Association said not enough was being done to stop downtown crime.
If re-elected, McGinn said he'll push ahead for streetcar plans and will create separate bike lanes on more streets. But McGinn – who repeatedly opposed the State Route 99 tunnel – told KIRO 7 he has done plenty for cars, too.
"We're making it easier for people to get around," he told KIRO 7 late last month. "That's what really matters."
Ed Murray
Murray, a Democrat, was elected to the state Senate in 2006 and previously served 11 years in the state House of Representatives. He has served as the chair of the House Transportation Committee, and when supporters of same-sex marriage celebrated on election night, it was Murray who led the way to that victory. A week after the primary, Murray plans to marry his longtime partner, Michael Shiosaki.
"My vision for the city is that we once again become a city that is community," he told KIRO 7 late last month.
He said the police department needs to have a mayor who has their back, and there needs to be more training of police in an urban atmosphere.
Murray also led the fight to raise gas taxes for transportation projects, including the State Route 99 tunnel. As mayor, Murray said he'd scrap the separate plans for cars, transit and bicycles and would have a single balanced plan instead.
On the issue of livable wages, Murray said he would work with the City Council to find a solution.
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