Heidi Wills is an American former politician who was a member of the Seattle City Council from 2000 to 2004. In 2019, she ran for city council in District 7 but lost in the general election.
Heidi Wills | |
|---|---|
 Heidi Wills 2003 | |
| Member of the Seattle City Council, Position 7 | |
| In office January 10, 2000 – January 5, 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Tina Podlodowski |
| Succeeded by | David Della |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1968 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Kobi Yamada |
| Residence | Edmonds, Washington |
| Alma mater | University of Washington (BA) |
Education and early career
editWills earned her bachelor's degree in history of science, technology, and medicine from the University of Washington.[1] From 1990 to 1991, she was the President of the Associated Students of the University of Washington, where she implemented the implement the U-PASS as a replacement for the UW's struggling transportation program, which provided unlimited rides on regional public transit.[2]
After graduating from UW, Wills worked as an aide to King County Executive Ron Sims.[1]
Seattle City Council
edit1999 election
editIn May 1999, Seattle city councilmember Tina Podlodowski announced she would not seek reelection for Position 7.[3] Wills ran for the open seat against five other candidates. In the September primary election, she came in second with 38% of the vote, with former councilmember Charlie Chong coming in first with 40%.[4] Wills outraised Chung and all other candidates that cycle.[5] In the general election, Wills defeated Chung, 55% to 45%.[6]
Tenure
editWhile in office, Wills was chair of the Energy and Environmental Policy Committee and vice-chair for the Housing, Human Services, Education, and Civil Rights Committee and the Transportation Committee.[1]
While chair of the Energy Committee, Wills oversaw increases to Seattle City Light utility bills for top energy users[7] to discourage high energy usage.[8] Mayor Greg Nickels was against the "third tier" increases, stating the increases would effect low-income individuals, even though the majority of "third tier users" were not low income.[9] Wills would successfully pass the rate increases for high energy users,[8] with exemptions for low-income users.[7] She later contacted the Seattle Ethics and Elections director over potential ethics violations regarding a letter Nickels sent to Seattle City Light customers disparaging the rate "third tier."[8]
Wills' Energy committee also ushered a bill that would keep a surcharge, averaging $23 a month, for an extra two years to pay down City Light debt.[10] Wills stated, "We're in unprecedented circumstances".[10]
Wills voted to repeal the teen dance ordinance and promised to keep the poster ban repeal.[9] Wills also sponsored legislation to switch green traffic lights to LED bulbs, saving the city millions in money and energy.[11]
Strippergate
editFormer Washington state governor Albert Rosellini assisted the Colacurcios family by lobbying six members of the Seattle City Council and raising funds for three of the politicians.[12] In June 2003, James Bush, a reporter for the North Seattle Sun, reported city council members Judy Nicastro, Jim Compton and Heidi Wills received a combined $36,000 worth of campaign donations from the Colacurcio family and their business associates.[13] On June 16, 2003, in a 5–4 vote, the council approved the parking zoning changes allowing them to use their existing land for parking requested by the Colacurcios.[13] Nicastro, Compton, and Wills all voted in favor on the expansion.[13]
All councilmember returned the money, and Wills paid a $1,500 fine to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.[14]
2003 election
editWills ran for reelection against three challengers. In the primary election, Wills placed first with 44% of the vote, and David Della, a director at United Way of King County, came in second with 34%.[15] Della blamed Willis for the rate increases by releasing flyers and billboards of people yelling at their utility bills.[16] Wills's campaign outraised Della's, fundraising over $250,000 and breaking the record $198,000 she raised in the 1999 election.[17] Della defeated Willis in the general election, 65,324 votes (54%) to 55,620 (46%).[18]
2019 election
editIn April 2019, councilmember Mike O'Brien announced that he would not seek reelection for District 6, the fourth council member that cycle to decline running.[19] Wills announced she would run for the open seat focusing her campaign on bring city hall "back to basics".[20] Thirteen candidates ran in the primary, the most of any race that year. Wills came in second, with 21%, with Dan Strauss, former legislative aid to Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, coming in first with 34%.[21]
Wills faced a finance complaint over the amount of in-kind donations an event space gave to Wills during an October fundraiser.[22]
The election gained national attention after Amazon spent nearly $1.5 million on campaign contributions to Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee, which supported Wills.[23]
In the general election, Willis lost to Straus, 44% to 56%.[24]
Personal life
editWills married author Kobi Yamada in 2002 while she was in office.[1] They have two children.[25]
Electoral History
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Charlie Chong | 30,839 | 40.15% | |
| Nonpartisan | Heidi Wills | 29,330 | 38.18% | |
| Nonpartisan | Thomas Whittemore | 8,024 | 10.45% | |
| Nonpartisan | George Freeman | 3,071 | 4.00% | |
| Nonpartisan | Elbert V. Brooks | 3,031 | 3.95% | |
| Nonpartisan | David W. Lawton | 2,524 | 3.29% | |
| Turnout | 73,788 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Heidi Wills | 89,662 | 55.09% | |
| Nonpartisan | Charlie Chong | 73,085 | 44.91% | |
| Turnout | 162,747 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Heidi Wills | 47,985 | 43.64% | |
| Nonpartisan | David J. Della | 37,180 | 33.81% | |
| Nonpartisan | Christal Wood | 12,804 | 11.64% | |
| Nonpartisan | Bob Hegamin | 11,996 | 10.91% | |
| Turnout | 109,965 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | David J. Della | 65,324 | 54.01% | |
| Nonpartisan | Heidi Wills | 55,620 | 45.98% | |
| Turnout | 120,944 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Dan Strauss | 11,328 | 34.15% | |
| Nonpartisan | Heidi Wills | 7,048 | 21.25% | |
| Nonpartisan | Sergio García | 4,730 | 14.26% | |
| Nonpartisan | Jay Fathi | 4,367 | 13.16% | |
| Nonpartisan | Kate Martin | 1,137 | 3.43% | |
| Nonpartisan | Jon Lisbin | 1,063 | 3.20% | |
| Nonpartisan | Jeremy Cook | 829 | 2.50% | |
| Nonpartisan | Melissa Hall | 820 | 2.47% | |
| Nonpartisan | Ed Pottharst | 599 | 1.81% | |
| Nonpartisan | John Peeples | 452 | 1.36% | |
| Nonpartisan | Joey Massa | 299 | 0.90% | |
| Nonpartisan | Terry Rice | 287 | 0.87% | |
| Nonpartisan | Kara Ceriello | 146 | 0.44% | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in | 67 | 0.20% | |
| Turnout | 34,207 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Dan Strauss | 23,868 | 55.65% | |
| Nonpartisan | Heidi Wills | 18,799 | 43.83% | |
| Turnout | 44,399 | 59.37% | ||
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Heidi Wills Records, 1999-2004". Archives West. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Santschi, Mark (October 3, 2001). "U-PASS turns 10". The Daily. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Savage, Dan (May 6, 1999). "Podlodowski Bows Out". The Stranger. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "Primary Election". King County Elections. September 24, 1999. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Feit, Josh (August 19, 1999). "The Truth about Heidi". The Stranger. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "General Election". King County Elections. November 17, 1999. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Staff (May 13, 2002). "Top power users could see rate relief". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c "In Other News..." The Stranger. June 6, 2002. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "Heidi Wills". The Stranger. September 3, 2003.
- ^ a b Lange, Larry (December 10, 2001). "A jolt for City Light users". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- ^ Toomey, D.W. (March 21, 2002). "Traffic lights do more than change color". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Howland, George (July 30, 2003). "Is Strippergate over?". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c Kershaw, Sarah (August 27, 2003). "A Tale of Sex, Money and Politics, in 'Mayberry'". The New York Times. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Young, Bob (September 27, 2003). "Wills agrees to pay $1,500 fine in 'Strippergate' ethics violation". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "Primary Official Final". King County Elections. September 27, 2003. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Mulady, Kathy (November 4, 2003). "City Council: Nicastro, Pageler, Wills on the brink". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Mulady, Kathy (October 28, 2003). "Campaigns for council costliest in city history". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Historic Election Results". Seattle Municipal Archives. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Beekman, Daniel (April 4, 2019). "Mike O'Brien is fourth Seattle City Council incumbent who won't run for re-election". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Beekman, Daneil (April 4, 2019). "After 'Strippergate' ethics scandal, Heidi Wills wants back on City Council". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "Election Results" (PDF). King County Elections. August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Porter, Essex (October 21, 2019). "Heidi Wills faces campaign finance complaint". KIRO 7. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ Johnson, Gene (November 6, 2019). "Amazon's spending in Seattle Council races doesn't deliver". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ "Election Results" (PDF). King County Elections. November 25, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
- ^ "Frank Anton Wills". Obituaries. The Seattle Times. November 12, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2024.