Moderate candidates leading liberals in Seattle’s top races

Moderate candidates took significant leads in early Seattle election returns Tuesday following a months-long debate about how to address the city’s problems of homelessness, policing and racial and economic injustice. In the mayor’s race, Bruce Harrell, a former City Council president, was ahead of current City Council President M. Lorena González. Harrell had criticized his opponent for supporting the goal of cutting the Seattle Police Department’s budget in half — a position she has since softened.