On Aug. 11, two Washington residents filed a petition with King County Elections to officially begin the process of recalling Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. Filing a petition with the local elections board is the first of many steps in the recall process.
Melinda Jacobson and Dale Osterud's petition alleges that Wilson is "derelict in her duties for public safety of the city of Seattle," according to documents shared by KUOW. Jacobson and Osterud cite Wilson's approach to public safety in the North Aurora neighborhood, the Chinatown International District, and Belltown. The charges also cite Wilson's decision to fire Police Chief Shon Barnes after a shooting at Seattle Center last month.
Dawn Schellenberg, Wilson's interim communications director,
told KUOW that, "While it does not appear to have merit, our focus remains where it belongs: on making life safer and more affordable for the people of Seattle ... The courts will address any questions. We will address the needs of Seattle."
Here's what to know about the attempt to recall Mayor Wilson.
How does a recall work?
Any registered voter in Washington can file a petition to recall an elected official. The general process includes the following steps:
- Recall charges filed with Election Board
- Election Board sends charges to Prosecuting Attorney's office for technical review
- The Prosecuting Attorney's office files the charges with the King County Superior Court for a sufficiency hearing to determine legality
- Recall supporters then have 180 days to gather signatures of registered voters for a recall election (around 69,200 signatures will be needed)
- Recall election held within 45-90 days
Jacobson and Osterud filed the charge with King County Elections earlier this month. The Election Board then sends the recall to the King County prosecuting attorney's office for a technical review. The King County Super Court has scheduled a review hearing for the recall charges on Aug. 31, according to KING 5 and KOMO. A judge then decides if the charges meet the legal requirements for a recall and the petitioners can move to gather signatures.
Petitioners have 180 days to collect and file signatures in support of the recall. Washington state law requires that the required signatures for a recall must be 25% of the total voters cast in the mayoral race. According to King County Elections, 276,762 people voted in the 2025 Mayor Election between Katie Wilson and former Mayor Bruce Harrell, so the petition will need more than 69,190 votes to proceed to an election.
Once King County Elections verifies the voters and signatures, the Director of Elections sets a special date between 45 and 90 days after the petition is certified.
What happens in the recall passes?
If Wilson is successfully recalled, the local district will appoint a new mayor.
What does the recall document say?
Jacobson and Osterud's petition charge begins by stating the primary responsibility of the city government is "protecting and enhancing the health, safety, environment, and general welfare of the people." The duties of the Mayor, they quote from the Seattle City Charter, state that the Mayor oversees the enforcement of laws, control officers of the citty and "shall maintain peace and order in the city."
The pair conclude that Wilson is "derelict in her duties," to maintain public safety in Seattle.
Most recently, the pair write, Wilson made "a hasty, rash decision to force a resignation from Shon Barnes." The petition praises Seattle Police Chief Barnes and says the firing shows "a lack of fiscal responsivity" during a city budget crisis and "creates chaos in the Seattle Police Department and distrust among the citizens of Seattle in the Mayor's actions."
Jacobson and Osterud claim that Wilson's action around the spike in crime on Aurora Avenue has been insufficient, only addressing the issue at a meeting and with subsequent installation of barriers on neighborhood roads.
Residents in the Chinatown International District and Belltown, the pair write, are fearful of drug use and crime that has gone unaddressed. The Belltown area "was cleanred up for the World Cup," Jacobson and Osterud write, "but is deteriorating again."
The petition charge also notes the use of CCTV around Seattle. Cameras were activated for the World Cup, and Wilson later turned them off in service of her pledge to pause any expansion of the program in Seattle. The petition cites the cameras as helpful in identifying crime suspects, and notes that residents and business in the areas have asked for them to be turned on.
Read the full petition charge here.
Zachary Fletcher is a trending news reporter with USA TODAY Network's Washington state team. Keep up with him on X (@zdfletch), BlueSky (@zfletcher.bsky.social) or reach him at zfletcher@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Could Seattle's mayor be recalled? Here's how the process works
