2021 Seattle Mayoral Debates

Who will take the helm and lead the City of Seattle as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, address the ongoing challenges of so many living without shelter, tackle tough questions about the future of law enforcement, and provide a path forward for an economic revitalization that welcomes back workers and tourists to downtown?

The top two candidates for mayor of Seattle — current City Council President Lorena M. González and former City Council President Bruce Harrell — will address these and other questions this fall when the Washington State Debate Coalition (WSDC) hosts two debates at KCTS 9/Crosscut studios with the production support of TVW, Washington state’s public affairs network. Both candidates have confirmed their participation in the two debates.

Several of Seattle’s top journalists will serve as moderators and interview panelists for the Washington State Debate Coalition (WSDC)’s Seattle mayoral debates next month at KCTS 9 studios. TVW, Washington state’s public affairs network, will provide technical support.  

KOMO 4 news anchor Mary Nam will moderate the first debate on Thursday, Oct. 14 from 7-8 p.m., which will focus on the economy. Joining Nam as media panelists will be: Daniel Beekman (The Seattle Times); Amy Radil (KUOW); and Chris Daniels (KING 5).   

KIRO 7 reporter Essex Porter is set to host the second debate, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 28 from 7-8 p.m. with a focus on public health and safety. Journalists for the second debate’s panel will include David Kroman (Crosscut); Hana Kim (FOX 13); and Hanna Scott (KIRO Radio).   

Both events will be broadcast live on TV and streamed online by WSDC Premiere Media Partners and other coalition members. 

“We are fortunate to have such a talented group of local journalists participate in this year’s debates,” said Whitney Keyes, Executive Director of Seattle City Club, which manages the debate program and founded the WSDC. “Both Essex and Mary are well-versed in the policy issues and prepared to guide this year’s mayoral candidates through the debates, along with our panel of veteran journalists. Their collective knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting the city will help voters better know these two candidates before selecting the new mayor of Seattle.”   

To help inform the questions posed to candidates at each debate, the WSDC is encouraging its media partners to engage the public and solicit feedback to the following prompts: 

• What is the one question you’d like asked of the candidates at the upcoming Seattle mayoral debates? 
• What are the most urgent challenges facing our city? 
• Where do you live and what are the unique challenges facing your neighborhood? 

Seattleites can also propose questions for the debates via Seattle CityClub’s two Eventbrite pages upon registering. 

Registration is free, and those who register will be given automatic reminders and calendar invites for the debates. The Eventbrite pages also include information about how and where to watch or listen to the debates live. 

“It’s fair to say there’s a bit of pre-election homework that voters should engage in before the election, in order to familiarize themselves with the issues and where the candidates stand on them,” added Keyes. “We hope people will take the time to explore the Data Navigator that Seattle CityClub created in partnership with Tableau to get more information, submit questions prior to the debates, and then tune in on October 14 and 28 as we watch the candidates lay out their visions for our city.”  

About the Washington State Debate Coalition (WSDC) 
Founded by Seattle CityClub in 2016, the WSDC has produced public debates across the state, including events for gubernatorial elections and U.S. Senate races, serving an audience of over 3 million people. The WSDC is supported every election cycle by media, education, and civic partners committed to the belief that making public debates available to all is crucial to a functioning democracy. To register for the free 2021 debates, visit: https://seattlecityclub.org/wsdc/.  

About Premier Media Partners (PMPs) 
The following media organizations have agreed to be PMPs for the 2021 debate season: Associated Press, Cascade Public Media, FOX 13, KING 5, KIRO Radio, KIRO 7, KOMO News, KUOW Public Radio, Seattle Channel, The Seattle Times, and TVW.  

The WSDC is grateful for the support of the Premier Media Partner organizations, including production and streaming partner TVW and for the time, talent and resources they have graciously committed as a part of producing this important civic event.  

About Supporting Community Media Partners  
A number of community media organizations have agreed to support the mayoral debates. This includes: Converge Media, King County TV, Northwest Asian Weekly, Rainier Avenue Radio and KNKX Radio.   

About WSDC Program Partners 
More than 50 additional organizations have come on board in support of the WSDC debates this year.  

To view a full list of these supporters, please visit the Debate Coalition website https://seattlecityclub.org/wsdc/. 

About Seattle CityClub 
For 40 years, Seattle CityClub, a nonpartisan nonprofit, has provided programs that inform, connect, and engage people around civic issues to help strengthen our region. For more information, visit SeattleCityClub.org.