Bruce Harrell

Bruce Allen Harrell (born October 10, 1958) is an American politician, lawyer, and former football player who is a former member of the Seattle City Council from District 2. He was first elected to the city council in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011 and 2015, and did not run again in 2019. In 2016, he was chosen as president of the city council. He also briefly served as acting Mayor of Seattle from September 13 to September 18, 2017.

Early life and education

Harrell was born in 1958 in Seattle, to an African American father who worked for Seattle City Light and a Japanese American mother who had been interned at Minidoka and worked for the Seattle Public Library. The Harrell family lived in the Central District, a minority enclave in Seattle, and Bruce graduated from Garfield High School in 1976 as valedictorian of his class.

Harrell played as an American football linebacker at Garfield High School, where he was named to the all-Metro team. He went on to attend the University of Washington on a football scholarship, rejecting Harvard University in the process, and played for the Washington Huskies football team from 1976 to 1979. At the University of Washington, Harrell earned a bachelor's degree in political science in 1980 and made the national Academic All-American First Team in football. Harrell earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 1984. In 1994, Harrell earned a master's degree in organizational design and improvement from City University of Seattle.

In 2007, Harrell received the University of Washington Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2012, Harrell won the University of Washington's Timeless Award Winner, and in 2013 he was inducted into the NW Football Hall of Fame.

Professional career

After attending law school, Harrell joined US West, now CenturyLink, in 1987. Harrell was chief legal advisor to the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund, chief legal advisor to the First A.M.E. Church and First A.M.E. Housing Corporation, Chief Counsel to US West, and general counsel to the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Zeta Pi Lambda chapter.

In addition to his legislative responsibilities, Harrell serves as Chair of the Puget Sound Regional Council's Performance First Committee: a business development strategy of PSRC's Prosperity Partnership; Advisory Board Chair for CASASTART; a focused strategy for youth with behavioral challenges at Seattle Public Schools; and, member of the Social Action Committee for First A.M.E. Church.

Political career

Harrell was elected to the Seattle City Council in 2007. Between 2008 and 2011, he served as chair of the Energy, Technology, and Civil Rights Committee and was responsible for oversight of Seattle City Light, the city's public power utility and the city's Department of Information and Technology. In 2010, he created a Rate Stabilization Account (RSA) for Seattle City Light. The account provides protection for Seattle City Light customers from the volatility of the wholesale power market.

In 2011, Harrell sponsored a program to establish partnerships with technology companies and financial institutions to provide need-based Internet access to students in the Seattle Public Schools. In 2011, Harrell wrote a letter to now former US Attorney Jenny Durkan asking for the Federal Government to mandate body cameras in Seattle.

In 2013, Harrell introduced legislation to regulate the Seattle Police Department's use of drones and other surveillance measures in an effort to protect the public's civil liberties. He also authored "ban the box" legislation that passed on June 10, 2013.

Following years of at-large city council elections, Bruce was re-elected into the newly created District 2 position following a change to district-based city council elections. On January 4, 2016 Harrell was sworn into the District 2 office and elected council president by fellow councilmembers. In 2016, Harrell supported a measure to attempt to bring back the Seattle SuperSonics, but the measure was defeated in a 5–4 vote.

Mayor of Seattle

Harrell was sworn in as acting Mayor of Seattle on September 13, 2017, following the resignation of Mayor Ed Murray. Harrell served as acting mayor for a five-day period, after which the city council elected Tim Burgess to fill the position until after the November election. Harrell declined to continue as acting mayor until November, which would have required him to lose his city council seat.

Personal life

Harrell is married to Joanne Harrell.

Electoral history

2007 election

2011 election

2013 mayoral election

2015 election