Seattle voters want to see Mayor Katie Wilson and her administration do more to improve safety across the city, according to a new poll from the Fulcrum Strateg
Seattle voters want to see Mayor Katie Wilson and her administration do more to improve safety across the city, according to a new poll from the Fulcrum Strategy Group.
Wilson's favorability took a major 20-point hit since April, now dropping to 37%, the poll found.
Additionally, the 500 surveyed voters were asked to grade the Wilson administration across the following six public safety areas.
- Providing transparent information to the public in a timely way
- Reducing vandalism, litter, and improving overall cleanliness
- Reducing homeless encampments
- Making Seattle safer
- Managing the Seattle Center mass shooting crisis
- Addressing illegal, open drug use
Voters gave Wilson and her team D or D+ ratings on all six issues tested, according to FSG.
Some Seattle residents told KOMO News they weren't surprised by the poor ratings, but with Wilson only eight months in to a four-year term, many people said they hope changes can be made quickly.
"Seeing as I haven't really seen all of the hopeful change that she kind of campaigned on, I'm not too surprised," said Ed Williams, a 10-year resident of Seattle.
Pat Renfro, also a longtime Seattleite, believes homelessness and open drug use are the biggest issues currently plaguing Seattle. She hopes Wilson can come up with a more aggressive and meaningful approach to the problem.
"I'm a regular bus traveler, and going to the bus stops, you can barely be there safely," Renfro explained. "It's the filth, it's the debris, it's the activity, the needles, all that kind of stuff. It's just really disturbing."
Wilson also continues to face mounting scrutiny for the handling of the deadly shooting during the Bite of Seattle festival in July, including the delayed release of public information the night of the shooting and Wilson forcing former Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes to resign amid an unsolved murder investigation.
Overall, residents say they want to see more results and policy wins from Wilson's office to ensure Seattle neighborhoods remain safe and that the city's future is moving in the right direction.
"We need somebody good in leadership that knows how to delegate and put people to work," said Melissa Tapia, "and she [Wilson] doesn't."
At a press conference and ceremonial bus lane painting event Thursday, Wilson largely brushed off the poll's findings and said she remains committed to improving public safety, transportation, affordable housing, and homelessness.
“Anyone can do a poll, so people can look at the poll and interpret what they want,” Wilson told reporters. “But my priority right now is delivering for the people of Seattle.”
