Josh Cohen
@jcohenwrites.bsky.social
Former City Reporter at Cascade PBS covering the issues, government, and politics shaping life in Seattle.
Bruce Harrell leads Katie Wilson 53% to 46% in the first ballot count tonight. It's not unusual for the more progressive candidate to trail in the first drop and that gap will certainly narrow in later counts. Especially since so many people seem to have voted at the last second this election.
November 5, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Bruce Harrell leads Katie Wilson 53% to 46% in the first ballot count tonight. It's not unusual for the more progressive candidate to trail in the first drop and that gap will certainly narrow in later counts. Especially since so many people seem to have voted at the last second this election.
Crosscut is dead. Long live Crosscut. Today’s the official last day for me and my Cascade PBS newsroom colleagues. We did good work over the decades and it is supremely sad to see it shut down.
October 31, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Crosscut is dead. Long live Crosscut. Today’s the official last day for me and my Cascade PBS newsroom colleagues. We did good work over the decades and it is supremely sad to see it shut down.
I’ve seen behind the curtain. Fun story out tomorrow.
September 11, 2025 at 11:59 PM
I’ve seen behind the curtain. Fun story out tomorrow.
A hilarious statement from King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer
August 28, 2025 at 11:33 PM
A hilarious statement from King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer
Wilson says if elected she would explore the possibility of publicly owned grocery stores, work to ban algorithmic grocery pricing and introduce grocery-oriented development incentives (like transit oriented dev but would have incentives for building grocery stores)
August 26, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Wilson says if elected she would explore the possibility of publicly owned grocery stores, work to ban algorithmic grocery pricing and introduce grocery-oriented development incentives (like transit oriented dev but would have incentives for building grocery stores)
UFCW 3000 is holding a press conference at the Lake City Fred Meyer to protest the closure of the store and to announce its endorsement of Katie Wilson in the Seattle Mayor’s race
August 26, 2025 at 8:05 PM
UFCW 3000 is holding a press conference at the Lake City Fred Meyer to protest the closure of the store and to announce its endorsement of Katie Wilson in the Seattle Mayor’s race
From the inbox: Seattle and King County are moving ahead with plans to open the second regional Crisis Care Center in the old Polyclinic location on Broadway at the First Hill/Capitol Hill border.
August 14, 2025 at 10:41 PM
From the inbox: Seattle and King County are moving ahead with plans to open the second regional Crisis Care Center in the old Polyclinic location on Broadway at the First Hill/Capitol Hill border.
It looks like Entente Law removed Teimouri from their staff listing.
August 14, 2025 at 4:33 PM
It looks like Entente Law removed Teimouri from their staff listing.
Big day for new studies
August 11, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Big day for new studies
After relatively little movement in yesterday's count, Wilson is now up by 8.5% and more than 15,000 votes in Seattle's mayoral primary. Lots of people thought it could be close between Harrell and Wilson in the primary. I haven't spoken to anyone who predicted that kind of margin in Wilson's favor.
August 8, 2025 at 11:22 PM
After relatively little movement in yesterday's count, Wilson is now up by 8.5% and more than 15,000 votes in Seattle's mayoral primary. Lots of people thought it could be close between Harrell and Wilson in the primary. I haven't spoken to anyone who predicted that kind of margin in Wilson's favor.
In Citywide Council 9, Dionne Foster is up 55.5% to Council President Sara Nelson's 37.7%. Last night the gap was about 14%.
August 6, 2025 at 10:50 PM
In Citywide Council 9, Dionne Foster is up 55.5% to Council President Sara Nelson's 37.7%. Last night the gap was about 14%.
As expected, progressives extended their leads in the second round of ballot counts for Seattle city elections. Katie Wilson now has 48% to Mayor Bruce Harrell's 43.5%
August 6, 2025 at 10:48 PM
As expected, progressives extended their leads in the second round of ballot counts for Seattle city elections. Katie Wilson now has 48% to Mayor Bruce Harrell's 43.5%
First primary results are in: Katie Wilson has a slight lead over Mayor Bruce Harrell that's likely to grow in the coming days due to Seattle's leftward trend in later ballot counts.
August 6, 2025 at 3:11 AM
First primary results are in: Katie Wilson has a slight lead over Mayor Bruce Harrell that's likely to grow in the coming days due to Seattle's leftward trend in later ballot counts.
The waterfront is real nice on a summer evening
August 2, 2025 at 3:25 AM
The waterfront is real nice on a summer evening
After three appointments in ~19 months, one wonders: can we make it a full calendar year without a City Council vacancy process?
July 28, 2025 at 7:29 PM
After three appointments in ~19 months, one wonders: can we make it a full calendar year without a City Council vacancy process?
14 year old Bobby is living his best old man life.
July 18, 2025 at 6:09 PM
14 year old Bobby is living his best old man life.
Hot take: we should use a variety of names for ballot measures rather than having five distinct “Proposition 1s” on the same August ballot.
July 18, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Hot take: we should use a variety of names for ballot measures rather than having five distinct “Proposition 1s” on the same August ballot.
There it is. Ann Davison now leads in fundraising, maxed out at the city attorney primary limit of $225K with Erika Evans essentially tied for second (I think the next filings will show Evans actually tied since she's listed as maxed out for democracy vouchers as well).
July 15, 2025 at 5:40 PM
There it is. Ann Davison now leads in fundraising, maxed out at the city attorney primary limit of $225K with Erika Evans essentially tied for second (I think the next filings will show Evans actually tied since she's listed as maxed out for democracy vouchers as well).
Round 2 is Dionne Foster, Connor Nash, Sara Nelson for Position 9 and Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Ray Rogers for Position 9
July 15, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Round 2 is Dionne Foster, Connor Nash, Sara Nelson for Position 9 and Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Ray Rogers for Position 9
I’m at a city council candidate forum at El Centro this eve hosted by a big coalition of disability rights and elder advocacy groups. Front runners from D2 & citywide 8 & 9 are slated to speak. D2 is up first. Not gonna live tweet (will have a story this week). But might post occasionally
July 15, 2025 at 1:13 AM
I’m at a city council candidate forum at El Centro this eve hosted by a big coalition of disability rights and elder advocacy groups. Front runners from D2 & citywide 8 & 9 are slated to speak. D2 is up first. Not gonna live tweet (will have a story this week). But might post occasionally
John Wilson just announced that he's dropping out of the King County Executive race. But, he says he looks "forward to continuing to serve the residents of King County in my role as Assessor" implying he does not plan to step down from that role as many elected officials have called for.
July 10, 2025 at 9:38 PM
John Wilson just announced that he's dropping out of the King County Executive race. But, he says he looks "forward to continuing to serve the residents of King County in my role as Assessor" implying he does not plan to step down from that role as many elected officials have called for.
No big surprises among Washington's Congressional delegation. Votes split along party lines with Republicans Dan Newhouse and Michael Baumgartner voting for the bill.
July 3, 2025 at 7:23 PM
No big surprises among Washington's Congressional delegation. Votes split along party lines with Republicans Dan Newhouse and Michael Baumgartner voting for the bill.
Not something you see everyday on a bike ride in Seattle! (Or maybe it is if you bike through Interlaken a lot). This guy seemed insufficiently scared of humans, unfortunately … we stopped a ways away and he ran past within a few feet of us
July 2, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Not something you see everyday on a bike ride in Seattle! (Or maybe it is if you bike through Interlaken a lot). This guy seemed insufficiently scared of humans, unfortunately … we stopped a ways away and he ran past within a few feet of us
Family, Garfield students and community are rallying today to mark the one year anniversary of Amarr Murphy-Paine’s murder outside the high school
June 6, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Family, Garfield students and community are rallying today to mark the one year anniversary of Amarr Murphy-Paine’s murder outside the high school