Bruce Harrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bruce Harrell
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Harrell in 2022
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| 54th and 57th Mayor of Seattle | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Jenny Durkan |
| Acting September 13, 2017 – September 18, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Ed Murray |
| Succeeded by | Tim Burgess |
| President of the Seattle City Council | |
| In office January 5, 2016 – January 5, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Tim Burgess |
| Succeeded by | Lorena González |
| Member of the Seattle City Council | |
| In office January 3, 2008 – January 6, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Peter Steinbrueck |
| Succeeded by | Tammy Morales |
| Constituency | District 2 (2016–2020) Position 3 (2008–2016) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bruce Allen Harrell
October 10, 1958 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Joanne Harrell
(m. 1992) |
| Residences | Seward Park, Washington, U.S. |
| Education | University of Washington (BA, JD) City University of Seattle (MS) |
Bruce Allen Harrell (born October 10, 1958) is an American politician and lawyer. He is currently the 57th Mayor of Seattle. Before becoming mayor, he was a member of the Seattle City Council from 2008 to 2020. He also served as the president of the city council from 2016 to 2020. For a short time in 2017, he was the acting mayor of Seattle. In 2021, he was elected mayor, becoming the city's second Black mayor and its first African-Asian American mayor. He is running for re-election in 2025.
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Early Life and Education
Bruce Harrell was born in Seattle in 1958. His father was African American and worked for Seattle City Light. His mother was Japanese American and worked for the Seattle Public Library. During World War II, his mother and her family were held in the Minidoka internment camp in Idaho.
Harrell grew up in the Central District of Seattle. This was a neighborhood with many different cultures. He went to Garfield High School. He was a talented football player there, playing as a linebacker. He was even named to the all-Metro team. In 1976, he graduated from Garfield as the top student in his class.
College and Football Career
After high school, Harrell received a football scholarship to the University of Washington. He played for the Washington Huskies football team from 1976 to 1979. He was recognized for his skills, being named to the 1979 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team. He also received the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award. He was named the Husky defensive player of the year. In 2013, he was honored by being inducted into the NW Football Hall of Fame.
Advanced Degrees and Early Career
Harrell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Washington in 1980. He then earned a law degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 1984. In 1994, he received a master's degree from City University of Seattle. This degree was in organizational design and improvement.
After law school, Harrell worked as a legal advisor for several organizations. He was a chief legal advisor for the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund. He also advised the First A.M.E. Church and its housing corporation. He worked as chief counsel for US West, a large company.
Time on the Seattle City Council
Bruce Harrell served on the Seattle City Council for many years. He was a council member from 2008 to 2020. During his time, he focused on important issues for the city.
Council Elections
2007 Election
In 2007, Bruce Harrell ran for a seat on the City Council. The previous council member, Peter Steinbrueck, decided not to run again. Harrell focused his campaign on making Seattle safer. He wanted more money for the police and fire departments. Education was also a very important topic for him. Harrell won the election with 59.88% of the votes.
2011 Election
Harrell ran for re-election in 2011. He talked about his work overseeing Seattle City Light, the city's power company. He helped the utility save money and raise rates to improve services. He also supported the use of police body cameras. He believed these cameras would help build trust between the police and the community. Harrell won this election with 61% of the votes.
2015 Election
In 2015, Seattle changed how its city council elections worked. Instead of city-wide elections, they created districts. Harrell ran for the new District 2 seat, which covers the International District and South Seattle. He emphasized his experience and public safety. He won this election by a very close margin.
Key Actions as Council Member
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In 2011, Harrell suggested that federal government should require police body cameras in Seattle. By 2014, he started a pilot program to test body cameras on officers. He strongly supported the idea that all officers should wear them.
In 2016, Harrell was chosen by his fellow council members to be the President of the City Council. This meant he led the council meetings and helped guide their work.
In 2018, Harrell supported a tax on large businesses called the "Head Tax." This tax was meant to raise money for housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. However, he later voted to cancel the tax. He was worried that businesses like Amazon might try to stop it with a public vote.
In 2019, Harrell decided not to run for re-election to the City Council. He felt that three terms were enough for him in that role.
Acting Mayor of Seattle
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On September 13, 2017, Bruce Harrell became the acting mayor of Seattle. This happened because the previous mayor, Ed Murray, resigned. As the City Council President, Harrell was next in line for the role. He served as acting mayor for five days. After that, the City Council chose Tim Burgess to be the mayor until the next election. Harrell chose not to stay as acting mayor longer because it would have meant giving up his City Council seat.
Mayor of Seattle
Bruce Harrell became the 57th Mayor of Seattle on January 1, 2022. He won the election in November 2021.
Mayoral Elections
2013 Mayoral Election
In 2013, Harrell first ran for mayor against the current mayor, Michael McGinn. Harrell believed McGinn's leadership was not effective. He also criticized how the mayor handled a federal investigation into the Seattle Police Department. Harrell came in fourth place in the primary election. He then supported Ed Murray, who won the general election.
2021 Mayoral Election
In 2021, Mayor Jenny Durkan decided not to run for re-election. Bruce Harrell then announced he would run for mayor. He spoke about the challenges Seattle was facing, like homelessness and business issues. Harrell ran as a moderate candidate. He focused on increasing the police force and helping people experiencing homelessness. He won the primary election and then the general election against Lorena González. He received 58% of the votes.
2025 Re-election Campaign
In December 2024, Mayor Harrell announced he would run for re-election in the 2025 Seattle mayoral election. He received support from important political figures, including Governor-elect Bob Ferguson. If he wins, he would be the first Seattle mayor to win a second term since 2005.
What the Mayor Does
As mayor, Bruce Harrell makes many important decisions for Seattle. He appoints people to lead different city departments. He also works on big issues like housing, transportation, and climate change.
City Leadership Appointments
Mayor Harrell appoints many people to lead different parts of the city government. In 2022, he appointed Adrian Diaz to be the permanent chief of the Seattle Police Department. Later, in 2024, Diaz was moved to a different role, and Sue Rahr became the interim chief. In December 2024, Diaz was fired after an internal investigation.
Housing and Homelessness
In 2023, Mayor Harrell worked to manage new state laws about housing. These laws allowed more types of housing, like fourplexes, in areas that used to be only for single-family homes. His team expressed concerns about how this might affect neighborhoods and people living there.
In July 2022, Seattle had a very hot heat wave. Harrell's administration received criticism for continuing to clear homeless camps during this dangerous weather. In February 2025, Seattle voters approved a plan to fund social housing. This was a significant vote for the city's future housing plans.
Transportation in Seattle
In 2022, Mayor Harrell's administration changed a rule about parking tickets. They decided that the Seattle Police Department, not the Department of Transportation, would issue parking tickets. This led to many tickets being canceled and refunds given to people who had paid them.
In May 2024, Harrell suggested a large plan for transportation. This plan, worth $1.45 billion, would improve sidewalks, connect people to light rail stations, and fix bridges. Voters approved this plan in November 2024, and the city council increased its value to $1.55 billion.
Climate Change Efforts
In September 2022, Mayor Harrell signed new laws related to the Green New Deal in Seattle. These laws set aside $6.5 million for projects to fight climate change. This includes plans to make city-owned buildings stop using fossil fuels by 2035.
Immigration Policies
In December 2024, Mayor Harrell spoke about plans for mass deportations of immigrants. He said it was important to protect certain communities. However, he also mentioned supporting efforts to deport criminals.
Personal Life
Bruce Harrell is married to Joanne Harrell. They got married in 1992 and have three children. They live in the Seward Park neighborhood of Seattle.
In 2022, Harrell was honored by an organization called Gold House. This group celebrates people of Asian Pacific descent. They recognized him, along with other mayors, for making a big impact in advocacy and policy.
See also
- Washington Huskies football statistical leaders
