SEATTLE — Polling released Tuesday from the Northwest Progressive Institute estimates more than 20% of Seattle voters are still undecided when it comes to Seattle City Council District 9.
The candidates, attorney and organizer Nikkita Oliver and Fremont Brewing Co-owner Sara Nelson, both feel good heading into the final stretch before election day but acknowledge there is a lot on the line.
District 9 could be decided by those who are currently undecided. The polling from the Northwest Progressive Institute reports Nelson leads the race with 41%, Oliver has 37% percent and 21% of voters still aren't sure who they plan to vote for.
The candidates are vying for an open citywide seat, which was left vacant by Lorena González, who is running for mayor.
If there's one thing both candidates can agree on it's that Seattle needs change.
"This is not a single-issue campaign," said Oliver. "[Voters] are asking about housing and homelessness. They're asking about climate and transportation and they're asking about public health strategies to build a public safety system that works for everyone."
"Seattle's at a critical junction in our city so we've got to get this election right to really start making changes on the issue that are impacting the whole city," said Nelson.
A debate Wednesday, hosted by Rainier Avenue Radio at the Converge Media studio, covered a range of topics showing voters they have two candidates with differing views on most topics.
The first question was on handling the city's high rental prices. Oliver said they would support pushing the state to change laws and allow rent control. Nelson said she has concerns over how rent control could impact the city's growth and would instead push for direct payments to renters.
One of the biggest divides between the two candidates is over funding for the Seattle Police Department. Oliver is a supporter of the Defund the Police movement and wants to see SPD's budget cut by 50%.
Nelson disagrees but she believes the city needs to address its public safety plan.
At one point during the debate candidates asked each other a question.
Oliver called Nelson the 'law and order' candidate and questioned why Nelson has called for the removal of people living illegally in parks while also placing concrete blocks on the street around Nelson's business, Fremont Brewing, without a permit.
"Why is it those folks should be prosecuted and your own law violation should be accepted?" said Oliver.
"I'm a public safety person and when I talk about misdemeanors, those misdemeanors are not small crimes, especially when they are repeated over and over again," said Nelson.
Nelson then addressed Oliver and said they call themselves an abolitionist who wants to defund the police, end violence and poverty.
"What are you going to do to keep people safe?" said Nelson.
"In 2021, we found that three years of 911 data from the Seattle Police Department said that 49% of calls that come into 911 could receive a nonsworn, nonpolice officer response," said Oliver, "It's actually data based and driven to move 50% of our public safety budget into those alternative responses."