Seattle close to electing Socialist candidate

(AP) Seattle close to electing Socialist candidate
By MANUEL VALDES
Associated Press
SEATTLE
Voters in Seattle are close to electing a Socialist candidate to a city office.

Even in left-leaning Seattle, where police recently made headlines for handing out snacks at a large marijuana festival and politicians often try to out-liberal each other, the fact that 41-year-old Kshama Sawant has taken the lead in a City Council race has surprised many people.

Following the latest ballot count Tuesday night, Sawant had a 41-vote lead over incumbent Richard Conlin. Given Washington state’s mail-in voting system, a definitive winner won’t be named for days or even weeks.

Sawant has backed efforts to raise the minimum wage to $15, favors rent control and supports a tax on millionaires to fund city needs.