Alexis Mercedes Rinck Wins Seattle Council Race

Alexis Mercedes Rinck has won the special election for Seattle City Council's citywide Position 8, defeating current councilmember Tanya Woo with over 57% of the vote. Mercedes Rinck, a progressive candidate backed by Democratic Party groups and labor unions, focused her campaign on affordable housing, transit access, climate resiliency, and renter protections. Woo, appointed to the council in January following Teresa Mosqueda's departure, ran as a centrist with a platform centered around public safety and law enforcement. The election outcome may signal voter disapproval of the council's recent rightward shift under Woo's tenure. Both candidates emphasized public safety, but differed in their approaches, with Woo supporting encampment clearances and Rinck advocating for more equitable resource distribution. The election occurred concurrently with major national races, potentially influencing high voter turnout in favor of Mercedes Rinck.