1997 Seattle mayoral election
The 1997 Seattle mayoral election took place on November 4, 1997, to select the Mayor of Seattle, Washington. Incumbent Mayor Norm Rice, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 1996, declined to seek re-election to a third term. Eleven candidates ran to succeed him, including Port Commissioner Paul Schell, County Councilman Greg Nickels, and three members of the Seattle City Council: Charlie Chong, Cheryl Chow, and Jane Noland.
In the primary election, Schell placed first, winning 28 percent of the vote. Chong narrowly defeated Nickels for second place, winning 21 percent of the vote to Nickels's 20 percent, a result that took several days to determine as mail ballots were counted. Schell ultimately defeated Chong by a wide margin in the general election, winning 57 percent.
Primary election
Candidates
- Paul Schell, Port Commissioner
- Charlie Chong, City Councilman
- Greg Nickels, County Councilman
- Jane Noland, City Councilwoman
- Cheryl Chow, City Councilwoman
- Scott A. Breen
- Mike The Mover, perennial candidate
- Gordon Herr, former State Senator
- Jim Guilfoil, pirate impersonator
- Stan Lippmann
- Max Englerius