Katherine Barrett Wilson[1] (born 1982/1983) is a progressive activist, community organizer, writer, and candidate for mayor of Seattle in the 2025 election. Wilson is the co-founder and executive director of the Transit Riders Union, a group that focuses on improving public transport and workers' rights. In August 2025, Wilson placed first in the primary for the 2025 Seattle mayoral election, and advanced to the general election with incumbent mayor Bruce Harrell.
Wilson helped found the Seattle Transit Riders Union (TRU), an organization that campaigns and lobbies for progressive causes.[4][5] The organization was formed after a proposed 17% cut to King County Metro and an elimination of the fare-free zone in downtown.[5] In 2014, Wilson and the TRU successfully lobbied King County for the creation of the ORCA Lift program, which provided reduced fares for low-income individuals.[6][7] The TRU has previously campaigned for increases to the minimum wage in Burien, SeaTac and Tukwila, as well as greater renters' rights, and better public transit.[4][6][7]
Wilson played a role in the creation of Seattle's JumpStart tax, a payroll tax on large corporations to fund affordable housing.[6][7] She was critical of Mayor Harrell for proposing redirecting JumpStart funds to balance the city budget instead of affordable housing projects.[8] Wilson was also a member of Harrell's Seattle Revenue Stabilization Workgroup, which explored and recommended additional progressive revenue to address the city's budget deficit.[6][7][9]
In March 2025, Wilson announced a campaign to challenge incumbent Bruce Harrell for mayor of Seattle.[10] She cited Harrell's opposition to a February 2025 ballot measure that would fund housing through taxes on businesses as a factor in her decision to run.[6][11] Wilson, running as a progressive, stated her top three priorities as mayor are housing, homelessness, and protecting Seattle from federal actions.[2][6][12] In the primary, she was endorsed by every Democratic party organization in the city, including all six legislative district Democrats, the Stranger, and PROTEC17, a union that represents 3,000 city workers.[13][14][15]
In the weeks leading to the primary, polls indicated a close race between Wilson and Harrell, with both raising nearly $500,000.[11][16][17] In the August nonpartisan primary, Wilson placed first among a field of eight candidates, with 50.8% of the vote, and advaced to the general election with Harrell who earned 41.2%.[18][19]
Wilson's campaign has been likened to the campaign of Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 New York City mayoral election by several publications, including The Nation and The Stranger.[13][20] She criticized Harrell for being part of the "status quo" and not properly addressing homelessness and sweeping individuals, while also not lowering the cost of living.[21][22] Harrell touted his administration's efforts on public safety, transportation, and housing affordability, while criticizing Wilson's previous support for the "Defund the Police" movement.[22][23] Although she did not call for defunding the police during the campaign, Wilson stated that armed officers are not needed to respond to mental health and other non-crime calls.[23]
↑ "Election Results"(PDF). King County Elections. August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
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