Where the council fits in
The City Council forms the legislative branch, led by its president, who also serves as a backup for the mayor. Whenever the mayor is away, the council president steps in as mayor pro tem until the mayor returns, and the charter requires no formal notice for this handoff.
How Seattle Picks Its Mayor
Every four years, voters across the whole city choose a mayor, and candidates appear on the ballot without party labels because the elections are officially nonpartisan. Look at the ballot and you will not find a Democrat or Republican tag beside anyone's name, even in a city with strong political leanings.
Primary in August, general in November
The race unfolds in two rounds. An August primary narrows the field, and the top two finishers then meet in the November general election, with the winner normally taking office on January 1 of the following year.
When the office becomes vacant
Seattle keeps a clear plan ready if a mayor leaves early. The council president becomes mayor for five days so the office stays filled, and if that person chooses not to stay on, the council can vote to appoint one of its members as mayor instead.
Either way, the councilmember who moves into the mayor's office gives up their council seat until the next election. A newly elected mayor can also start before the usual January 1 date, once results are certified and the council decides to replace the appointed mayor.
Removing a mayor
The council holds one significant check on the executive. With a two-thirds vote, it can remove a mayor for willfully violating their duties or for an offense involving moral turpitude.
From Town Trustees to a Four-Year Term
Step back to the beginning and you will find a Seattle with no mayor at all. The Washington Territorial Legislature first incorporated it as a town on January 14, 1865, run by a board of trustees with Charles C. Terry as its president, an arrangement that ended when the town was disincorporated on January 28, 1867.
A second incorporation followed on December 2, 1869, with a charter that created the mayor's office. The Territorial Legislature appointed Henry A. Atkins as the first mayor, and voters then elected him to the role on July 11, 1870.
Charters that reshaped the job
Over the years, new city charters have reshaped the office several times:
- 1890: The Freeholders Charter doubled the term from one year to two but blocked mayors from serving back-to-back terms. It also set elections for the first Monday in March and required mayors to be at least 30 and to have lived in the city for two years.
- 1946: Voters approved a charter that stretched the term to four years, beginning with the 1948 election.
- 1969: The age and residency requirements were dropped from the charter.
Mayors Who Made History
Scan the long line of Seattle mayors and a few names stand out. In 1926, the city elected Bertha Knight Landes, the first woman to serve as mayor of a major American city, a milestone that still gives Seattle a notable place in the story of women in local politics.
Charles Royer holds the record for the longest time in office, serving three full terms from 1978 to 1990. The office has also seen its share of turbulence, with some mayors serving non-consecutive terms and others resigning or facing recall elections.
Meet Mayor Katie Wilson
Katie Wilson won the 2025 election, unseating Bruce Harrell, and took office on January 1, 2026, with a ceremonial swearing-in the next day. The City of Seattle describes her as the city's 58th mayor.
A background in transit organizing
Before City Hall, Wilson was best known as a transit advocate and community organizer. She co-founded the Transit Riders Union and led it for more than ten years, building coalitions around better transit, affordable fares, higher wages, stronger renter protections and new progressive revenue.
She is a renter herself, sharing an apartment in Capitol Hill with her husband and young daughter, a detail that fits a mayor who has made affordability a central theme. Get to know that part of town through our guide to Seattle neighborhoods.
Her priorities so far
Wilson has framed her agenda around tackling the affordability crisis, bringing unhoused people indoors and making Seattle a better place to live, work and raise a family. She describes her approach as coalition building, with a team drawn from government, business, labor and housing.
Her office has already taken visible steps, including an executive order focused on outreach to people living in vehicles and on neighborhood impacts tied to RVs. In November 2026, Seattle voters strongly backed renewal of the Seattle Transit Measure, which the city calls the largest expansion of transit service in its history.
For her full statement of goals, read the official biography of Mayor Katie B. Wilson on the city's website.
Reaching the Mayor's Office
You will find the mayor's office on the 7th floor at 600 4th Ave in downtown Seattle, though most people find it easier to get in touch online. Head to the Mayor's Office page on Seattle.gov, where residents can:
- Send a message to the mayor
- Ask the mayor to attend an event
- Request a proclamation or letter
- Find instructions for serving legal documents on the City of Seattle
- Sign up for the mayor's newsletter and press releases
Check the official site for current contact details and request procedures, since these can change. And if you are in town to explore rather than petition City Hall, browse our picks for things to do in Seattle or spend an afternoon with our guide to Seattle landmarks.
