Who's running for Seattle City Council in 2023

The November election will bring big changes to the Seattle City Council, with at least four of the council's nine members having already announced they won't seek re-election.

Why it matters: The exodus of incumbents means most of the seven council positions on the ballot will be open seats, upping the potential for a change in the council's political direction.

What they're saying: "It's guaranteed there's going to be a big shift," Seattle-based political consultant Michael Charles told Axios.

The big picture: Voters remain frustrated with issues such as crime and homelessness, he said, which could mean some of the same forces that ushered in a more moderate, business-friendly council in 2021 will carry over into 2023.

• Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, told Axios that Seattle voters are progressive, but "I also think they're pragmatic — they want to see candidates who have a plan."

Other dynamics are new — such as the recent layoffs of tech workers, which could affect how that large voting bloc views candidates and city policy, political consultant Crystal Fincher said in an interview.

• "A chunk of them are feeling vulnerability in a way they have not before," she said.

What we're watching: Expect a lot of money to pour into this year's races, "because control of the council is at stake," Fincher said.

Zoom in: Here's a look at who's running so far, based on public announcements and campaign finance filings with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.

• Of note: Candidates still must formally file to run for office in May. You can find your council district using this tool.

District 1

Neighborhood: West Seattle and South Park

State of play: Incumbent Lisa Herbold has announced she isn't running for re-election.

Candidates:

• Preston Anderson
• Stephen Brown
• Maren Costa
• AnnaLisa Lafayette
• Rob Saka
• Phillip Tavel

District 2

Neighborhood: Southeast Seattle and Georgetown

State of play: Incumbent Tammy Morales is running for re-election.

Challengers:

• Dawn Lucas
• Isaiah Willoughby
• Tanya Woo

District 3

Neighborhood: Central Seattle, including Capitol Hill

State of play: Incumbent Kshama Sawant said she isn't running for re-election.

Candidates:

• Ry Armstrong
• Andrew Ashiofu
• Alexander Cooley
• Joy Hollingsworth
• Efrain Hudnell
• Alex Hudson
• Asukaa Jaxx
• Theodore Mostert

District 4

Neighborhood: Northeast Seattle, including the University District and Wallingford

State of play: Incumbent Alex Pedersen says he isn't running for re-election.

Candidates:

• George Artem
• Ron Davis
• Matthew Mitnick
• Kenneth Wilson

District 5

Neighborhood: North Seattle, including Lake City and Northgate

State of Play: Incumbent Debora Juarez has said she won't run for re-election.

Candidates:

• Bobby Goodwin
• Lucca Howard
• Nilu Jenks
• Shane Macomber
• ChrisTiana Obeysumner
• Justin Simmons
• Sinh Tran

District 6

Neighborhood: Northwest Seattle, including Ballard, Phinney Ridge and Green Lake

State of Play: Incumbent Dan Strauss has announced he plans to seek re-election.

Challengers:

• Jace Donnelly
• Peter Hanning

District 7

Neighborhood: Downtown, Queen Anne and Magnolia

State of play: Incumbent Andrew Lewis has announced he will run for a second term.

Challengers:

• Isabelle Kerner

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that candidate TruongSinh Tran-Nguyen plans to appear on the ballot as Sinh Tran.

Editor's note: This story will be updated with more candidates and context as the election progresses. Candidates can send announcements to [email protected].