City of Seattle Council President Sara Nelson has introduced Council Bill 121130, which would amend the City Ethics Code to limit the role of political consultants in Seattle city government. On December 4, the Governance, Accountability, and Economic Development Committee, which she chairs, heard a presentation on the bill and discussed it. The legislation is now on the agenda for the Committee’s December 11 meeting.
Modeled after regulations adopted in San Francisco and Portland, the legislation would require political consultants to register and report their political consulting services with the city. It would cover political consultants working on campaigns for city office or ballot measures.
Most importantly, it would prohibit political consultants from being compensated for campaign work while they are under contract with the city. CB 121130 would require a one-year cooling off period between the end of work under a city contract and the beginning of compensated work for an elected official, a political candidate for city office, or a city ballot measure.
Two September 2025 articles in The Seattle Times raised questions about the campaign work and special access of Mayor Bruce Harrell’s political consultant while working under no-bid city contracts.
Harrell’s challenger, Katie Wilson, narrowly defeated him in the November general election. Wilson will take office as mayor on January 1, 2026.
