It's Official: Seattle Elects Socialist to City Council

“Our campaign is not an isolated event, it's a bellwether for what's going to happen in the future.”

It's now official: Seattle voters have now elected a socialist and member of the Occupy Seattle movement to the Seattle City Council, favoring a champion of a $15 minimum wage and tax on millionaires over a long-term Democrat incumbent.

Kshama Sawant, a 41-year-old college economics professor and a champion of a $15 minimum wage and tax on millionaires, took a 50.3 percent lead over 16-year incumbent Richard Conlin's 49.4 percent.

Conlin finally conceded on Friday night. Sawant, who trailed on election night November 5, has gained steadily as vote-by-mail ballots are continuing to be counted. "I don't think socialism necessarily makes most people in Seattle afraid," Conlin said during his concession statement.

"These exciting results show a majority of voters are fed up with the corporate politicians who have presided over the widening chasm between the super-rich and the rest of us," Sawant said in a statement.

Sawant, who began her political career by challenging and losing to Washington state House Speaker Frank Chopp last year, ran as a proud socialist on a simple platform: a new millionaire's tax to fund a public transit system, a $15-per-hour minimum wage and rent control for Seattle.

Sawant will join the council in January.

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.