Your local lefty arm of the party
The 46th District Democrats is the local chapter of the Democrats for North/ Northeast Seattle. As you might imagine for a bunch of Seattle neighbors (rather than party bigwigs), this group is much more progressive than the Democratic party at large —often pushing the envelope inside the big tent that is the Democratic Party.
These are the folks who you elect to be your precinct committee officers, and other party volunteers. They are often the ones who knock doors, canvass at farmer’s markets, raise money, testify, write to and meet with legislators, and work their brains out to make good things happen. This is not your Chuck Schumer style, friendly-to-the-establishment arm of the party. They are the insurgent organizers. As a whole, their vote’s suggest they are pretty clearly on the side of taxing the rich, protecting trans kids, holding corporations accountable, building an inclusive and expansive safety net, and greatly expanding housing options.
As such, the 46th picked Democratic Socialist Katie Wilson over Bruce Harrell by a mile.
In fact, the 46th almost always votes in crushing majorities for progressive candidates over centrist ones. When the contest is a progressive versus a chamber of commerce lackey, it’s pretty much always a blowout. My vote share compared to Maritza Rivera’s in 2023 was over 3 to 1, just to give you a sense of magnitude.
46th members get to vote for as many candidates as they want (“approval voting"), so a low total is a clear sign that the group does not think the candidate is a second-best choice.
The group is pragmatic: picking not-quite-progressives like Dan Strauss when he faced a challenge from a chamber candidate. And it also reaches high when it has the opportunity - picking hardcore lefties over corporate-owned Dems.
The Vetting is Deep and Wide
Candidates get to present themselves to the hundreds of members multiple times. There are questionnaires that are circulated, an in-person forum where candidates work the room for quite some time and then answer questions in front of everyone, as well as endorsement speeches. Candidates also call around and rally support, talking to elected precinct committee officers and the like. They meet with members, knock their doors, and pitch everyone they can.
In other words - it’s far more vetting than almost any endorsement process in the city - and it’s far more people involved - in other words, it is more (small d) democratic.
On September 15th, 104 people showed up to vote in the Pollet v. Dreher endorsement.
Here is a screenshot of the total vote shares. Gerry Pollet got 86.5% of the vote.
Will Dreher got 18.3%.
Gerry’s vote share has softened a bit in recent years, even when he had no challenger, because of people like me who wanted to see a leftward shift on some issues . In 2024, “no endorsement” got 38% of the vote. When I was in the primary, I split the vote with Gerry and neither of us got the endorsement. So it’s not as if this group is driven by loyalty to incumbents.
But when Pollet faces an AI-funded, Kavanaugh-boosting mercenary who promises budget cuts, the 46th’s values are crystal clear: the 46th district Democrats are going to stump for the obvious progressive.
Pollet won by about a 5 to 1 margin.
In fact, Dreher’s vote share is lower than Maritza Rivera’s 21.6%. Closer to Sara Nelson’s 14.7%.
I was willing to challenge Gerry for reasons I’ve articulated in the past. I’m not magically papering over our differences, real as they may be. But we also share many, many values too.
And just like your peers all over North and Northeast Seattle, when I take time and reflect and compare Gerry to Will, it’s not even close.
Vote Gerry Pollet.