At the start of 2022, Bruce Harrell was sworn in as Seattle’s 57th mayor (he briefly served as Mayor for three days in 2017 following the resignation of Mayor Ed Murray). Due to spiking Covid infections, Mayor Harrell decided against a public inaugural event, so his ceremonial swearing-in event will be a small private event.

The Seattle Times examined the legacy of former Mayor Jenny Durkan, who decided against running for a second term in 2021. Seattle faced a slew of challenges during Mayor Durkan’s tenure, from the Covid pandemic and rising crime rates to increased homelessness and protests against the police.