Separating Seattle

The 2001 city elections could lead to an interesting change.

No, I don't mean the new mayor—this campaign has not only resurrected the concept of electing Seattle City Council members by neighborhood district, it's all but legitimized the concept. Mayoral candidate Greg Nickels wants to change our City Council election from its current nine citywide seats to neighborhood districts, and several council candidates, including incumbent Nick Licata, also back the change. Activists are organizing to put a districts' initiative on the ballot for the 2003 election. They have wisely elected to go for a 7-2 mixed system (with seven council members elected by district, and the other two elected citywide), which appears more politically palatable to district doubters. The activists have also learned from their past mistakes and are organizing a broader-based coalition than the one assembled in 1995, when Seattle voters rejected districts.

Even The Seattle Times editorial board appears willing to consider that, instead of continuing to elect boring Chamber of Commerce types citywide, it can find equally dull individuals to back in each of the various districts (I'm paraphrasing here . . . ).

What's changed? Well, any change in how council members are elected is an attack on the current council, and people are ready to attack. On the progressive side, folks are tired of losing 6-3 and 5-4 votes and think a switch to districts could finally tip the balance their way. On the establishment side, the powers that be hope the slashing of Seattle would give them a better shot at eliminating the likes of Judy Nicastro or Peter Steinbrueck (or at least marooning them in safe, liberal districts).

The district organizers are wisely recruiting state legislators to their cause. Here's the attraction: State legislators are often quite popular in the geographic districts they represent but have had a notoriously poor record when trying to move up to higher-paying jobs on the Seattle City Council.

What could stop the district system? Inertia. Supporters of a districts' initiative still need to collect thousands of signatures and run a campaign. But the outlook for a Seattle City Council elected by district seems sunnier than ever before.

jbush@seattleweekly.com