Katherine Mitchell
@katherinemitchell.bsky.social
Ballard-based public employee (opinions here are my own) in the fight for housing for all. Proud union member. Birder. Organizer.
Pinned
You know I had to do it to ‘em on the traffic divider Rob Saka is spending $2,000,000 to remove.
how did they draw congressional districts before computers
November 21, 2025 at 6:14 AM
how did they draw congressional districts before computers
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
Fun fact: We did have a bus (rt. 46) that went into Golden Gardens. It was canceled in September 2012 because of "low ridership". This is what its schedule looked like. Weekday only, wildly intermittent trip spacing, and a forced transfer in Ballard.
No wonder why ridership was "low".
No wonder why ridership was "low".
August 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Fun fact: We did have a bus (rt. 46) that went into Golden Gardens. It was canceled in September 2012 because of "low ridership". This is what its schedule looked like. Weekday only, wildly intermittent trip spacing, and a forced transfer in Ballard.
No wonder why ridership was "low".
No wonder why ridership was "low".
Hell yes!!!!
🚨<KLAXON>: JULIA REED IS RUNNING FOR A THIRD TERM NEXT YEAR.
November 20, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Hell yes!!!!
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
Sure, it took almost a decade to build one apartment building, but what matters is that in the end we broke up the massing
More than nine years after the process started, the "Save Madison Valley" building is finally getting close to opening its doors to residents.
November 19, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Sure, it took almost a decade to build one apartment building, but what matters is that in the end we broke up the massing
Do ORCA operations earn interest on ORCA card balances?
November 16, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Do ORCA operations earn interest on ORCA card balances?
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
And how much Transportation is hidden in the other categories? What portion of Housing costs is the garage under your apartment building? What portion of Food is the sea of parking surrounding the supermarket? What portion of Healthcare is car-related injury and respiratory disease?
Transportation costs are the second largest burden on American family budgets (17%), after housing (33%)!
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
November 14, 2025 at 6:35 PM
And how much Transportation is hidden in the other categories? What portion of Housing costs is the garage under your apartment building? What portion of Food is the sea of parking surrounding the supermarket? What portion of Healthcare is car-related injury and respiratory disease?
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
Pressure is building for Democrats to take a big swing on taxes, beyond this year’s hikes. How far state Sen. Noel Frame and others pressing for new progressive taxes can deliver on that goal in 2026 is an open question. washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/11/14/w...
WA Legislature’s ‘Revenue Queen’ readies for 2026 tax battles • Washington State Standard
Sen. Noel Frame warns progressives to buckle up if lawmakers move ahead on income tax legislation targeting higher earners.
washingtonstatestandard.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Pressure is building for Democrats to take a big swing on taxes, beyond this year’s hikes. How far state Sen. Noel Frame and others pressing for new progressive taxes can deliver on that goal in 2026 is an open question. washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/11/14/w...
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
Greenways pushed back against the original do-nothing plan, and got these crossings in there, as well as some other changes. It's not where those of us prioritizing walkability want it to be FOR CERTAIN, but god the original plan was really bad. I just want to note that.
November 14, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Greenways pushed back against the original do-nothing plan, and got these crossings in there, as well as some other changes. It's not where those of us prioritizing walkability want it to be FOR CERTAIN, but god the original plan was really bad. I just want to note that.
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
🎶 love to cross a wide stroad
across a bankrupt nowhere place 🎶
(sung to leonard cohen's 'dance me to the end of love'
across a bankrupt nowhere place 🎶
(sung to leonard cohen's 'dance me to the end of love'
This Saturday Ballard Fremont Greenways, Councilmember Strauss, and @seattledot.bsky.social are celebrating the new crosswalk on 15th Ave in Ballard.
When: This Saturday at 2 PM
Where: 15th Ave NW and NW 51st St in Ballard.
Learn more: sdotblog.seattle.gov/2025/11/05/1...
When: This Saturday at 2 PM
Where: 15th Ave NW and NW 51st St in Ballard.
Learn more: sdotblog.seattle.gov/2025/11/05/1...
November 14, 2025 at 8:40 PM
🎶 love to cross a wide stroad
across a bankrupt nowhere place 🎶
(sung to leonard cohen's 'dance me to the end of love'
across a bankrupt nowhere place 🎶
(sung to leonard cohen's 'dance me to the end of love'
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
When The Stranger gets it wrong, we have no recourse. Look at SPS. As @awongpublic.bsky.social found, since 2005 only 2 people have won a school board race without a Stranger endorsement, and none since 2011. Yet in that time SPS has gone totally off the rails:
The Stranger Should Cover SPS More or Consider Not Endorsing in Seattle School Board Races
Over 20 years The Stranger’s endorsees have made up 34 of 36 School Board members even though The Stranger does not cover SPS consistently.
medium.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:58 PM
When The Stranger gets it wrong, we have no recourse. Look at SPS. As @awongpublic.bsky.social found, since 2005 only 2 people have won a school board race without a Stranger endorsement, and none since 2011. Yet in that time SPS has gone totally off the rails:
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
Voter turnout in the Seattle election has reached 55.95%. That's the highest mayoral election voter turnout this century for the city, besting even the 2009 election when there was 54.99% voter turnout.
November 14, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Voter turnout in the Seattle election has reached 55.95%. That's the highest mayoral election voter turnout this century for the city, besting even the 2009 election when there was 54.99% voter turnout.
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
I knew Mayor Harrell would make a snide remark about the election being rigged in his “concession” speech. Donald Trump has poisoned politics forever
Woah, what the hell was that? Bruce just said that there are people telling him not to concede because there were "anomalies." That's a wild and irresponsible thing to say.
November 13, 2025 at 8:46 PM
I knew Mayor Harrell would make a snide remark about the election being rigged in his “concession” speech. Donald Trump has poisoned politics forever
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
Today we stood by @transpochoices.bsky.social in support of their Build the Damn Train campaign. Together along w/ other regional transit leaders, we are asking for Sound Transit to deliver the vision of the voters. It’s about connecting people regionally w/ frequent & reliable transit!
November 13, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Today we stood by @transpochoices.bsky.social in support of their Build the Damn Train campaign. Together along w/ other regional transit leaders, we are asking for Sound Transit to deliver the vision of the voters. It’s about connecting people regionally w/ frequent & reliable transit!
Decision Desk HQ has now called the race for Wilson.
November 13, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Decision Desk HQ has now called the race for Wilson.
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
🚨🚨 Just in: Katie Wilson has expanded her lead in the Seattle mayor race. She is now leading by 1,976 votes, which means that the race is no longer in automatic recount territory.
🚨🚨 Just in: Katie Wilson has expanded her lead in the Seattle mayor race. She is now leading by 1,346 votes.
November 12, 2025 at 11:27 PM
🚨🚨 Just in: Katie Wilson has expanded her lead in the Seattle mayor race. She is now leading by 1,976 votes, which means that the race is no longer in automatic recount territory.
I know they say this about every left-wing candidate but people saying Katie Wilson “never had a real job” is especially hilarious. She worked in construction! She used power tools to build things! That is like the one “real job” remaining in the entire right wing talk radio moral universe
November 12, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I know they say this about every left-wing candidate but people saying Katie Wilson “never had a real job” is especially hilarious. She worked in construction! She used power tools to build things! That is like the one “real job” remaining in the entire right wing talk radio moral universe
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
What an election for Puget Sound.
-Full sweep for progressives in Seattle, Burien, Redmond
-New progressive mayors in Tacoma, Lynnwood
-GOP CM Conrad Lee replaced in Bellevue
-3/4 progressives winning in Kirkland
-Full sweep of special legislative races
-Gains or holds in many other cities
-Full sweep for progressives in Seattle, Burien, Redmond
-New progressive mayors in Tacoma, Lynnwood
-GOP CM Conrad Lee replaced in Bellevue
-3/4 progressives winning in Kirkland
-Full sweep of special legislative races
-Gains or holds in many other cities
November 12, 2025 at 6:06 PM
What an election for Puget Sound.
-Full sweep for progressives in Seattle, Burien, Redmond
-New progressive mayors in Tacoma, Lynnwood
-GOP CM Conrad Lee replaced in Bellevue
-3/4 progressives winning in Kirkland
-Full sweep of special legislative races
-Gains or holds in many other cities
-Full sweep for progressives in Seattle, Burien, Redmond
-New progressive mayors in Tacoma, Lynnwood
-GOP CM Conrad Lee replaced in Bellevue
-3/4 progressives winning in Kirkland
-Full sweep of special legislative races
-Gains or holds in many other cities
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
love when college football players get to wear non-Latin lettering on the back of their jerseys, here's Western Michigan defensive tackle Mustafi al-Garawi
November 12, 2025 at 3:45 AM
love when college football players get to wear non-Latin lettering on the back of their jerseys, here's Western Michigan defensive tackle Mustafi al-Garawi
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
The last time we elected a grassroots-backed mayor was McGinn in 2009! Since then every mayor we've had has been heavily backed & influenced by Amazon, Expedia, Comcast, CenturyLink, Starbucks, Uber, Vulcan, WA Assoc of Realtors, the Chamber of Commerce, the billionaire owner of the Mariners, etc.
November 12, 2025 at 2:23 AM
The last time we elected a grassroots-backed mayor was McGinn in 2009! Since then every mayor we've had has been heavily backed & influenced by Amazon, Expedia, Comcast, CenturyLink, Starbucks, Uber, Vulcan, WA Assoc of Realtors, the Chamber of Commerce, the billionaire owner of the Mariners, etc.
You can, and should, just do stuff that nobody else is
I mean Wilson literally did say that if she didn't challenge him, no one would. And now she's the likely next mayor
www.realchangenews.org/news/2025/10...
www.realchangenews.org/news/2025/10...
November 12, 2025 at 2:23 AM
You can, and should, just do stuff that nobody else is
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
I mean, BARELY within the mandatory recount requirements (and could go beyond that if the few straggling ballots go her way). Right now, she has 0.49 percentage points on Harrell and leads by less than 2000 votes; if that goes above 2000 OR she leads by > 0.5 percent, no mandatory recount.
November 12, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I mean, BARELY within the mandatory recount requirements (and could go beyond that if the few straggling ballots go her way). Right now, she has 0.49 percentage points on Harrell and leads by less than 2000 votes; if that goes above 2000 OR she leads by > 0.5 percent, no mandatory recount.
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
With basically all the ballots in the city of Seattle's mayoral election counted, Katie Wilson is now above 50 percent, with Mayor Bruce Harrell sliding to 49.6 percent. They're currently within the mandatory recount requirements, but machine recounts don't generally change things much.
November 12, 2025 at 12:12 AM
With basically all the ballots in the city of Seattle's mayoral election counted, Katie Wilson is now above 50 percent, with Mayor Bruce Harrell sliding to 49.6 percent. They're currently within the mandatory recount requirements, but machine recounts don't generally change things much.
Reposted by Katherine Mitchell
