Seattle Council President González Enters 2021 Mayoral Race

SEATTLE — Seattle City Council President M. Lorena González entered the mayoral race Wednesday, becoming the early frontrunner to replace Mayor Jenny Durkan. In December, Durkan announced she would not seek reelection.

Primary ballots are due Aug. 3, and the general election will take place Nov. 2.

González moved to Seattle in 2002 and graduated from the Seattle University School of Law in 2005. After college, she worked as a civil rights attorney and was elected to a citywide position on the council in 2015. González has served as council president since 2020, succeeding Bruce Harrell.

González's first year as president saw her presiding over the council during a tumultuous year, amid a pandemic that hit the Seattle region early and civil rights protests against police violence, and community demands that the Seattle Police Department be defunded by at least 50 percent. In 2019, she briefly campaigned for state Attorney General but suspended her campaign after Gov. Jay Inslee announced his intent to seek a third term.

Only a handful of candidates have entered the mayoral race to date, including Colleen Echohawk, Andrew Grant Houston and Lance Randall. González's campaign will leave her 9th position on the council open, which is up for election this year.

Watch the Lorena for Seattle campaign announcement below: