Mayor Jenny Durkan’s decision not to seek a second term as mayor has thrown next year’s city elections wide open for possible successors. Durkan announced her decision earlier this week.

Current council members Teresa Mosqueda and Lorena Gonzalez often are mentioned as possible mayoral candidates. Lance Randall, who leads a South Seattle economic development nonprofit, registered to run for mayor months ago.

Durkan, a former U.S. Attorney, said she chose to work on addressing the city’s many needs rather than spend the next year before the election working to keep her job. Beyond that, she sparred with the current council all summer long over adoption of the 2021 city budget including demands to reduce police funding and the council’s approval of a payroll tax on larger companies located in Seattle.

The city also faces of host of draining challenges including the loss of scores of downtown businesses to the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread homelessness and the closure and repair of the damaged and closed West Seattle Bridge, a major thoroughfare into the city.

The announcement generated a splash of media coverage. Durkan’s videotaped announcement is here. Additional media coverage is here and here.