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City Cast Seattle

City Cast Seattle Staff

Remember, remember, the 3rd of November. Come our election day… get out there and vote. That’s the most important thing you can do this month. But once you do that we’ve got some other great recommendations, 

All the Election Coverage You Need, but Were Afraid To Ask For

Struggling to make decisions about this election? We were joined by 

to discuss election coverage, and how we’re making sense of the vibes.

It's really important this year for people to put it in the drop box, not the mail. We cannot rely on USPS to count ballots that come in even after the deadline. So that's a whole other topic, but just put it in the drop box. There's a drop box near you!

When I unwrapped my ballot, it came in like kind of a sleeve that had a bunch of information and one of the things on there is it lists your two closest drop boxes. So when you are voting, you can just look at that sleeve. I got kind of emotional reading through all of the information (on the) sleeve because I was like, wow, they are really trying to make it easy for you to vote. And that is not true in all parts of our country. And so I just was like, that is really beautiful that all that information is being provided to us.

If you’re registered to vote and your ballot still hasn’t arrived, you have a couple options:

Visit the King County Elections Office or a vote center

You can also mark and print your replacement ballot online

 to help you make informed decisions when filling it out. It has links to all of our election coverage, including conversations with:

 about ballot initiatives and Brian Heywood, as well as a breakdown with Libby Watson of No Hate in WA state.

Nathalie Graham about Supreme Court Judges

Erica has recent coverage and conversations with District 5 candidates 

Ballots are due on Election Day, November 3rd at 8:00 p.m. 

Vote early and drop it off at a box near you!

How to Properly “Get Your November On” Out in the City

The most important event in November is that we, City Cast Seattle, are hosting a screening of 

 at Northwest Film Forum this month! It’s an amazing paranoid thriller shot here in the PNW and on the West Coast. It includes incredible mid-70s photography of Seattle. Here’s the plot: after a presidential candidate is assassinated on the Space Needle, Pacific Northwest political reporter Joe Frady begins to suspect that the mysterious Parallax Corporation may be involved. As he investigates, others who share his suspicions start turning up dead, including his editor, Bill Rintels. Eventually, Frady uncovers a conspiracy bigger than anyone expected and must race to prevent the corporation’s next big hit as this political thriller plays out in an explosive game of cat and mouse.

Late November is the 27th anniversary of the World Trade Organization protests here in Seattle, and 

, the documentary that uses 1000 hours of archival footage to lay out the events of that day starting on November 30.

SIFF is screening critically acclaimed Washington films 

 as part of the PNW Awards with Seattle Film Critics Society (It is also an embarrassment of riches with international cinema at SIFF this month).

Last, but perhaps the second most exciting thing in Seattle cinema, is the Beacon hosting a series called ‘

,’ focusing on the films of William Greaves, whose film Once Upon A Time in Harlem was recently finished by his son. One of my favorite filmmakers of all time.

I went to Osaka a month ago. I had never really delved into Japanese food. Osaka is just like the most amazing place to eat food. So I went to Onibaba recently in Japantown. Incredible. This weekend is still restaurant week, so I'm gonna check out 

 in Wallingford, which is an Izakaya place participating in restaurant week, which goes through the 31st, so you can still squeak in under the wire on that one.

 at the Crocodile. I am a young Gen Xer, and so if people don't know who that is, they're one of the groups that along with Wilco broke off from Uncle Tupelo in the 90s.

 downtown. It’s a project by the same people that did 

, where they're sort of making time-intensive, labor-intensive, artistic versions of consumer products and setting it up like a store. So this one replicates a 7-Eleven that used to be there.

I'm gonna lean into the weird this month with a 

 that's happening at McMenamins in Bothell. And a 

 taking place down in Vancouver, WA. Yes these are both technically out of the city, but how can you resist a little excitement and mystery in a very sleepy month?

We've got two home games in November for the Seattle Seahawks, 11/2 against the Bears and 11/8 against the Cardinals. Tickets are hardly ever cheap, but watching an NFL game live (especially at Lumen Field) is such a cool experience. I'm gonna go to at least one of those games, but mostly to snag 

? There's a kids version too, but I doubt they'll let someone in their 30s participate so I might have to sit this one out along with Liam.

I feel like there's a lot of new spots that have opened that I want to check out for places to eat. I've been hearing a lot about Doris in Pioneer Square. It's a small hole in the wall spot. It's from the same chef who was involved with 

 is another really sweet spot that really focuses on locally grown grains. And there's an event coming up at Town Hall, Seattle in November that's called 

. They're focusing on locally grown. grains and food sovereignty and they're serving like a meal as part of the event and Cafe Lolo is one of the two like restaurants that's involved in making it happen. So if you don't want to go to the restaurant itself, you go to Town Hall and check that out instead.

. It's in the Crown Hill area and it's Venezuelan food.

November has a strong ‘let’s put this off until the New Year’ vibe. What are you planning on circling back to in 2027?

I've been avoiding awkward conversations with my family for about thirty years now, so I'm not gonna stop that streak anytime soon.

I’m trying to put off seasonal depression, so I'll be getting out as much as I can. 

So one of the things that I told myself I was gonna do this year was more creative writing. I did learn that Left Bank Books has a bi-monthly writers meetup that's every first and third Wednesday of the month. and I feel like getting out of the house to Liam's point and going somewhere where people are also working on a goal that is similar to yours is a very useful accountability way of getting something done. So if you, like me, are trying to write more, maybe check that out.

I've been cold since I moved here in 2001. I do like sort of time intensive, tedious type of soups like pho and ramen. I don't make my own noodles…it's the kind of thing that I can see myself doing 'cause I do like fermentation and you know, I do a lot of kind of tedious fiddly things 'cause I just find it meditative. But yeah, I mean so I'll make a soup that takes all day that keeps the kitchen warm.

 Hot chocolate, flannel, I like the idea of puttering and cooking. Like I definitely putter. As a dad now, puttering is a big part of the Saturday activity.

I love the rain and cold so I’m not really worried about staying warm personally, but happy to knit stuff for my friends! Obviously saunas aren't my thing, but there's 

 on Lake Union that looks really cool. I have actually done the 

 several times because when someone comes to visit, they're cold and want to check it out. By the end of the two hours, I'm usually the only one sitting on top of the boat trying to cool down. It really is a fun experience though!

What to do, where to eat, where to shop, and more ways to spend the month of November in Seattle

Your Guide to Seattle in November

Seattle Guides

Sam J Leeds

In case you missed it, there’s an election coming up on November 3. And you probably got a pretty strong reminder: a ballot in your mailbox. If you’re registered to vote and your ballot still hasn’t arrived, you have a couple options:

Request a replacement ballot online through

Visit the King County Elections Office in Renton or one of the

You can mark and print your replacement ballot online

here’s your guide to help you make informed decisions

 when filling it out. And, as always, remember to vote early and 

. Ballots are due on Election Day, November 3rd at 8:00 p.m.

The City Cast Seattle team has been covering the issues and candidates at play in this election for months now and we’ve gathered those episodes in one handy list: 

According to the Washington State Voters pamphlet this measure “would prohibit students it defines as ‘biologically male’ from competing in athletic activities intended for female students only.” This would prevent transgender girls from participating in K-12 girls sports. To enforce this, 

the resulting law would require all girls who want to join student athletics to have their “biological sex” verified via a genital examination, a genetic test or a hormone test.

 Birth certificates as sex certification are banned in this initiative.

Though proponents say standard primary pediatric care already verifies sex, nearly 150,000 Washington girls do not have a regular family doctor. The current standards for sports physicals require only a fully clothed exam. Equivalent testing would not be required for boys to participate in student sports. This initiative would target an estimated 5-10 trans girl athletes, while impacting all girls across the Washington K-12 school system and is the most extreme proposal of its kind in the US.

 This initiative is a bit complicated to explain because it repeals amendments to an existing law and re-enacts the law as it was originally written. Ok, so what would that mean? The proposal requires schools to provide parents and guardians 

access to all health care records for students

, all textbooks, curriculums and supplemental material used in the classroom and, for some reason, removes the right of parents to receive immediate notice when a child is “alleged to be the victim, target or recipient of physical or sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, or assault by a shool employee or contractor.”

Organizations like the WA Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault say this measure would require schools to hand over sensitive information to parents who are abusing their children. It would also force schools to out LGBTQ+ students to their parents or guardians without their consent and reduce the likelihood a student goes to the school for help.

spoke with Libby Watson of No Hate in WA State

 to discuss how these initiatives will impact all youth, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ students. Resident parent and producer Liam Billingham joins to ask questions about how these policies affect parental rights.

 This measure would repeal the 9.9% tax on annual individual income over $1,000,000; prohibit taxes measured by individual income and taxes on individual income and change the definition of “income.” If enacted, it would decrease funding for K-12 education, universities and community colleges, childcare and early learning, and healthcare services. It would reduce funding to the state by an estimated $11.4 billion from 2027-2031. According to the Seattle Times, in 2029, its first year, the income tax is projected to bring in $2.7 billion, $3.7 billion in 2030, $3.2 billion in 2031 and $3.3 billion in 2032. So, 

repealing the income tax would give millionaires a $12.9 billion tax break

breaks down the facts and fiction on the Millionaires Tax here

talks with contributor Chase Hutchinson about the details on the Millionaires Tax

 and other efforts to raise funds for the state. Finally, we talked to Seattle’s one-and-only Rick Steves about 

All three of these initiatives were written and funded by one conservative PAC: Let’s Go Washington. The man behind this PAC is millionaire and hedge fund manager Brian Heywood. Interim host Liam Billingham spoke with Pacific Northwest bureau chief at the New York Times Anna Griffin about her profile of Heywood as well as lawyer and School Board Member-At-Large Joe Mizrahi about the impact he sees these initiatives having in schools.

 the measure that would provide funding for current and increased transit service.

Proposition No. 1 increases sales tax in Seattle in order to maintain bus service and add 100,000 more bus service hours. This would include more frequent bus service on nights and weekends, and more free ORCA passes for low-income riders. This city-wide levy has been around since 2014. Previously, Seattle has renewed this levy every six years. But if this one is passed, it wouldn’t need to be renewed again for ten years. 

 Seattleites living in District 5 are voting on a new city council member who will fill the seat vacated by Cathy Moore last year and temporarily filled by Debora Juarez. In the August primary, candidates Nilu Jenks and Julie Kang advanced to the general with 54% and 33% of the vote, respectively. Both candidates joined us on the show to talk through the top issues facing their district and the city council. 

Legislative District 37: Kelabe Tewolde vs. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Jaelynn Scott vs. Evon McCorkle

City Cast Seattle’s interim host Liam Billingham sat down for an interview with Kelabe Tewolde and Jaelynn Scott about the top issues impacting their district. Sharon Tomiko Santos did not respond to our requests to join the show. Likewise, Jaelynn’s opponent Evon McCorkle hasn’t responded to media requests. 

Legislative District 43: Jamie Pedersen vs. Hannah Sabio-Howell: 

Liam spoke with Hannah Sabio-Howell (episode coming soon) about her approach this election in pushing established democrats further left by taking on candidates, like Pedersen, who were seen as immune to challenge.

Incumbent Jamie Pedersen did not respond to requests to join the show.

This election there are FIVE state Supreme Court seats up for grabs. 

As Nathalie Graham of The Stranger puts it

 “that many seats have never been up for grabs at once in the modern court, but a wave of retirements combined with regular term limits has made for one hell of a situation. … The court has nine positions. It needs a minimum of five justices to rule on an opinion. These elections have the potential to change the majority.” To put it simply, this election will have a huge impact on progressive revenue (i.e. taxing millionaires) and civil rights law in our state.

 So, how do you know who to vote for? Nathalie joined us on the podcast to talk us through the choices for Supreme Court Judges back during the primary. 

Nathalie gives a great guide on what to look for in a judge.

You can also toy around with this new aggregator, 

 (though, unlike the editorial boards at local publications, the names of the people behind it have not been made public).

Your Guide to the 2026 Election in Seattle

Your 2026 Ballot, Explained

“Double double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble. Toe of frog and three newts’ eyes… Welcome to our October Guide!”

Before the sun vanishes for the rest of the year, our team has suggestions for getting outside to soak up those last illusive rays, leaf peep and then come home to make a hearty pot of soup.

If you want to stay in the city, go check out the arboretum. 

 in West Seattle also offers 1.7 miles of hiking trails and “exceptionally large Douglas firs, hemlocks, moss-covered big leaf maple, alder and western red cedars.” If you’re open to a drive, the ride out to North Bend is full of fall colors this time of year and 

 (the filming location of the Double R diner in Twin Peaks) taste just right. Or, you could venture all the way to the 

 in all their bright autumn glory. Just remember to stay on the trails and not to feed the animals.

Plan your Seattle-specific halloween costume: 

To state the obvious, there will probably be a million Jimothys running around this year. But, if you want a deeper cut, you could try being a seal chowing down on salmon at the Ballard locks (couple’s costume anyone?), a ferry, 

, or to quote Ashley “the scariest thing I can think of, which is the timeline for the Ballard Light Rail.”

Ask all your friends to make a giant batch of their favorite soup and then divvy up portions for everyone to pop in their freezers. Ashley suggests an upgrade to the classic chicken noodle: a chicken gnocchi with extra garlic, ginger and turmeric. Liam is trying out a friend’s mom’s recipe for Ukrainian borscht. Sam is making a black garlic miso ramen and also a roasted kabocha squash soup. Send us suggestions for your favorites!

Ever wondered what the heart of the U-District’s University Ave would be like if it were car-free? Head over there between 11am and 8pm on October 10 and 17 to find out! 

 will be shut down between 42nd and 43rd streets, and we’ll be having organizer Harrison Jerome on the podcast next week to tell us more.

October is huge for X-Files nerds: 10/13 is X-Files Day! That’s show creator Chris Carter's birthday, as well as the birthday of fictional character Fox Mulder — and the name of the show’s production company was 1013 Productions. Rewatch an episode or two, or just look at photos from 

 of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s many iconic 90s shoots.

I’ve made a list of the scary movies to check out this month, starting from least to most intense. However, I realize we all have different stuff that scares us (for example, it could be these 

 at SIFF presented by Grand Illusion! One of the greatest movies about media ever. Do not miss this.

 at The Beacon Cinema. The Beacon shows five minutes of five films and the audience picks which one to watch. This is the Halloween edition!

Ken Russell’s The Devils. As a young cinephile, I heard about this, and now it’s available to see at 

Trauma Bond at North West Film Forum. Just a series of 

, Cole and team at NWFF are giving us the craziest collection of films imaginable. Love them for it.

, which is a 10 mile walk around the city. It’s coming up on October 11. Urban hikers and critter lovers, UNITE!

, which is interesting. That's gonna be the 24th and 25th out at Magnuson. I'm excited to check that out as I assume we get to try a ton of different local roasters and coffee shops?

There are a lot of dog related things that pop up at the end of October, like 

 at the Woodland Park Zoo. I love when they just give pumpkins to the animals and let them rip them apart. Or you can celebrate 

 with the Fremont Troll. It seems really fun, I’ve always wanted to go.

 (who we featured back in July) is celebrating one year of being worker owned this weekend with a lineup of live music, moule frites, and other snacks and treats all evening long. There’s a suggested $15 cover going entirely to the bands. Get your ticket ahead of time 

Seattle Public Libraries has some amazing programming coming up this month. On Oct. 8 artist in Residence Jo Cosme has an 

 for her photo exhibit examining the tension between Puerto Rico as a marketed paradise and Puerto Rico as a lived reality. Then, in celebration of National Book Month (October) and Banned Books Week (Oct. 4 through 10) Partners in Print is partnering with the library to 

 (aka STUFF) is back for a second year with a 

. STUFF will be running from Oct. 15-18th at Northwest Film Forum. See you there!

In news that none of us are excited to share, our illustrious, unparalleled host Jane C. Hu will be leaving City Cast next week due to personal life circumstances. As Jane said on today’s podcast “while this has been a really hard decision to make, I'm glad to be leaving you all in the hands of this very wonderful and capable team.”

Jane has been the best captain of the good ship City Cast Seattle this little ragtag crew could ask for. And, frankly, we know this news sucks, but if you’ve enjoyed listening to Jane ask brilliant questions, share her love of fast-food themed bike rides and educate us with her science nerdery then please send some kind words her way.

We will share updates on our search for a host as we have them and if you have suggestions for who can fill Jane’s massive (metaphorically speaking) shoes, send them 

What to do, where to eat, where to shop, and more ways to spend the month of October in Seattle

Your Guide to Seattle in October

The weather’s cooling down, the light’s starting to change, we’re officially in the home stretch of summer as we slide into September. Let’s talk apples, Oktoberfest, sports season, and all the other things we’re looking forward to this month.

, “Seattle in September is paradise on earth” and we’re finding it hard to disagree with that. Here are some of our favorite activities to do in September:

For folks with apple trees in their yard, make plans for what to do with all of your apples! Pie, sauce, curry? The possibilities (

) are endless. If you don’t have an apple tree, you can go 

It’s peak coho salmon viewing season at 

 and it’s kind of relaxing to just watch them swim through the fish ladder.

Soak up what will likely be the last bit of sun on September 26 when Washington State Parks have free entry for everyone. 

Oktoberfest is oddly an event that takes place in September (apparently due to the warmer weather and more hours of light during the day) and it's worth checking out at least once, especially in 

The state fair is back if you’re trying to 

 after September 4. It would be tragic to get through this month without eating at least one corndog.

 season opener at home vs the Patriots is on a Wednesday this year, which is a little odd. That’s September 9 at Lumen Field. Will they be able to pull off back to back Super Bowl wins this season? No one seems to think so, they’re constantly being overlooked and underestimated - even as the reigning champs - but we want to believe.

End of season baseball with the highly unpredictable 

 is always a good time. Especially if you haven’t caught a game yet this year. They’ll be at home 9/3-9/6 and 9/8-9/10. I actually think it’s kinda fun that you truly have no idea what kind of game you’ll see from them each night and they still might make the playoffs!?

 games are happening throughout the month of September and tickets will be cheaper than the regular season, which is nice. October 1st will be their official first game of the season. The 

’s season however won’t be starting until the end of November!

 have a few home games each this month. If you’re missing the electric vibes from the World Cup over the summer, highly recommend checking out one of these games in person.

 have their final regular season home game on September 23, and it’s fan appreciation night!

 is happening this weekend (September 5 and 6) and the lineup is truly stacked, including hometown heroes Death Cab For Cutie

 at the Seattle Chinese Garden is on September 26 and I’ll be eating all the mooncakes

 fan but will sadly probably miss their show on September 13

 - it’s like taking a roadtrip through films

A wild series is playing at the Beacon this month, it’s called 

THERE IS NO NEED TO BUILD A LABYRINTH WHEN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE IS ONE: INFINITE RECURSION, ONTOLOGICAL VERTIGO, AND THE TERRITORY YIELDING TO THE MAP

Today is Hobonichi day here in the states, when all the new designs for 2027 planners are available to order from Japan. 

 is playing at Chateau Ste Michelle on September 18

 is happening at Seattle Center at the end of the month and it’s FREE!

There you have it. September, planned for you, by us. Did we miss anything cool? We mention a few other things on the podcast version of our guide.

What to do, where to eat, where to shop, and more ways to spend the month of September in Seattle

Your Guide to Seattle in September

Ashley Smith

The World Cup has come and gone and it gave many of us a new lens on the city, like seeing Seattle through someone else's eyes. This is also the time of year that a LOT of people are visiting from out of town and it got us thinking about the unofficial rules to the city. The stuff you only know, if you know. Plus, we figured this might come in handy to all the transplants (Hi Liam!) moving to our city and trying to fit in.

🌧️ Know the difference between when it’s raining and when it’s RAINING

👖 Dressing casually is always acceptable

❄️ Really settle in if it’s going to snow - the city 

Watch out for the hills, they’re surprisingly steep

♻️ Learn how to recycle and compost or prepare to be judged

🗣️ We love to complain and we do it often

🍺 Go to the hole in the wall spot - support local to become a local

🚫 Stop adding an “s” at the end of things: Pike Place, Nordstrom, etc

🐦‍⬛ Don’t make enemies of the crow population

☂️ Umbrellas are traditionally for tourists only… invest in a good rain jacket

🚗 Don’t leave anything visible in your car

🛑 Don’t jaywalk - wait for the signal

☀️ Try not to leave the city during the summer, Seattle summers cannot be beat and wherever you’re going will not compare

There’s gotta be more, right? What did we miss? Send us your essential rules for living in Seattle and we'll add them to our list! Oh and if any of these look familiar, you may have seen our Audience Development Manager, Ben Keenan, sharing his own list 

What to do and what not to do for anyone who just moved to our city

Seattle Guides

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Your 2026 Ballot, Explained

Your Guide to Seattle in October

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