SARA IS DELIVERING FOR SEATTLE.
Seattle’s Results-Driven Leader
Big news!
Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson has launched her re-election campaign for Position 9, building on three years of delivering real results for Seattle families.
"When I took office, Seattle was at a crossroads. Our city needed less ideology and more solutions," Nelson says. "Together, we've started turning things around - expanding treatment access, improving public safety, creating affordable housing, and supporting our small businesses. But there's more work ahead, and I'm running to keep that progress going."
REAL RESULTS FOR SEATTLE
Since taking office, Sara has focused on practical solutions that make a difference:
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Comprehensive Public Safety
First increase in police staffing since 2020, with 84 new officers hired in 2024
Innovative community safety teams launched in Chinatown-International District, combining foot patrols with outreach workers
Stronger police accountability through improved oversight and transparency measures
Additional dispatchers hired to improve emergency response times
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Housing & Treatment: Real Solutions for Seattle's Crisis
Historic $342 million investment in affordable housing - nearly 5x the 2019 level
Mobile medication units bringing treatment directly to hardest-hit neighborhoods
Proposed workforce housing in SoDo to create up to 1,000 new homes
Expanded treatment access and recovery services
New non-congregate shelters with built-in support services
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Seattle's Cultural Recovery
Created Seattle's first Film Commission to attract production jobs and support local talent
Restored the Storefront Repair Fund, helping over 400 businesses recover and rebuild
Saved the Seattle Channel, preserving vital local journalism and arts programming
Enhanced support for minority-owned businesses and neighborhood revitalization
Partnered with community groups on public space improvements
One of Nelson’s key achievements was driving public attention to a comprehensive crime and overdose audit. Working closely with experts, service providers, and frontline responders, Nelson helped identify what is working and what isn’t—shaping a coordinated, place-based strategy to target resources for improving safety and saving lives, particularly in and around Downtown.
“It’s this commitment to understanding the moving parts of Seattle’s toughest challenges—and collaborating with those closest to the issues—that defines Sara’s leadership and drives measurable results.”
"Seattle isn’t where it needs to be yet, but we’ve come a long way," said Nelson. "We’ve shifted from failed policies to approaches that are starting to work, and I’m committed to seeing those efforts through."
"By the end of this term, I want people nationwide to say, 'Seattle turned an impossible situation around by tackling tough issues and playing to its strengths.' That’s why I’m running for re-election."
What Local Leaders are Saying
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Congressman Adam Smith
Sara is exactly the kind of leader Seattle needs: reasonable, compassionate, and effective. She understands the human struggle at the heart of the homelessness crisis and knows how to cut through the noise to deliver real solutions. Our entire region benefits from Sara’s leadership on the Seattle City Council.
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Ollie Garrett
President, Tabor 100*
As a small business owner herself, Sara understands that local businesses are the foundation of an equitable economy. They create jobs, provide the means of building generational wealth, and hold our communities together. Sara doesn't just talk about supporting Black-owned businesses, she shows up, listens, and really fights for us. Her leadership is exactly what Seattle and the region needs to keep moving forward.
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Gina Hall
Non-Profit Leader in Homelessness & Social Services
Sara Nelson is making a difference for people experiencing homelessness. Her work on the homelessness audit has helped cut through the confusion and focus resources where they save lives—on housing, recovery, and human connection. Sara cares about getting people off the streets and delivering the help they need, and it shows in the work she’s done.
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Jon Scholes
President, Downtown Seattle Association*
In the depths of the pandemic, Downtown Seattle bore the brunt of a policy experiment by former Councilmembers to promote de-policing and to allow criminal activity to flourish without a response. The damage caused by this approach will take years to correct, but the good work by the City’s current elected leadership have put Seattle back on the path of recovery. Sara’s common-sense approach to public safety – combining treatment, services, and enforcement – is exactly what we need more of in Seattle.
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Dana Sims
Owner, El Corazón
Sara has been a driving force in making Seattle a vibrant hub for live music and entertainment. Her initiatives, like the Music Venue Parking Permit program, have directly benefited venues like El Corazon, enabling us to thrive in a challenging environment. Her unwavering support for local businesses and the arts has been instrumental in keeping Seattle's cultural scene alive and kicking.
