(The Center Square) – Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved a change at the city attorney’s office, with challenger Erika Evans besting incumbent Ann Davison by a vote of 62.5% to 37.2%, according to initial results from Tuesday’s election.
Evans, a former assistant lawyer for the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the city of Seattle, campaigned on a platform of alternatives to jail for certain offenders, including expanding pre-filing diversion programs, establishing an anti-hate and bias crimes unit, prosecuting wage theft, and holding landlords accountable.
“Tonight sends a very clear message here in Seattle that Seattle’s best days are still ahead, but we have to get to work to get us there, but we will together,” Evans said to supporters on Tuesday night. “You all believed in a city where everyone can feel safe and even thrive.”
Davison’s platform emphasized continuing a tough approach to crime. Since her first year in office, crime in Seattle dropped 8.7% from a high of 50,367 cases in 2022 to 45,982 in 2024. This year is trending to be even lower.
Davison led her campaign under the promise of fighting on behalf of the city against President Donald Trump’s administration. So far this year, Davison’s office joined multiple lawsuits over Trump’s executive orders targeting gender ideology, DEI policies, sanctuary policies, and stalled counterterrorism funding.
However, Evans’ continued to point out that Davison ran for lieutenant governor of Washington as a Republican in 2020. Davison collected 12% of the primary votes in that contest. Davison would later get elected as Seattle city attorney in 2021 with 51% of votes.
On Tuesday night, Evans celebrated her decisive victory with fellow progressives Dionne Foster and Alexis Mercedes-Rinck, both of whom won their separate city council races.
Tuesday’s election results hint at a shift toward a more progressive city council amid Trump’s return to the presidency in January. Two years ago, the Seattle City Council saw a major overhaul of new council members, resulting in a more centrist body. Now that Trump is back, Seattleites may be focusing on fighting back against the perceived excesses of his administration.
