November 07, 2017 - 8:19 PM
SEATTLE - The Latest on the Seattle mayoral race (all times local):
8:17 p.m.
Former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan has taken a strong early lead in a Seattle race for mayor that will give the booming liberal city its first female mayor since the 1920s.
Seattle voters were choosing between Durkan and urban planner Cary Moon to replace former Mayor Ed Murray, who resigned earlier this year amid accusations of sexual abuse.
Durkan had captured nearly 61 per cent of the first votes tallied by Tuesday evening in the all mail-in election. Moon had tallied just over 39 per cent of the vote.
Neither candidate has previously run for elected office. Seattle voters in August narrowed the field of 21 mayoral candidates down to Moon and Durkan.
Ballot counting will continue over the next several days.
Because Murray resigned, the winner of the election will take office as soon as the election is certified in late November, instead of January.
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12:22 a.m.
Seattle voters on Tuesday will elect a woman mayor for the second time.
Voters are choosing between urban planner Cary Moon or former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan to lead a city dealing with the benefits and problems of an economy booming for some more than others as e-commerce giant Amazon expands.
The contest comes after former Mayor Ed Murray, who was expected to easily win re-election, dropped his bid following accusations of sexual abuse by multiple men.
The race between Durkan and Moon has centred on how the city will respond to changes largely brought by Amazon, which employs about 40,000 people in Seattle.
Housing prices have skyrocketed amid constant complaints about traffic and worries that the poor and middle class are being priced out.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017