Cast Of Characters Livens Mayoral Race

What do a Seafair pirate, a law student, a Boeing mechanic, three Seattle City Council members, a Metropolitan King County councilman, a Port commissioner, a retired state senator, a one-time candidate for governor and a furniture mover have in common?

All 11 want to be mayor of Seattle.

Well, sort of. One concedes he paid the $1,154 filing fee to publicize a cause, and one buccaneer may just be in it for fun.

But as filing week drew to a close yesterday, the crowded nonpartisan race for mayor of Seattle promised to provide months of speculation, speechmaking and schmoozing as candidates work to define themselves, and residents try to learn their names.

Crime is down, and the economy is booming. But there's no shortage of topics for the candidates to tackle - from traffic jams to transit plans, potholes to police officers, downtown revitalization to neighborhood parks.

"The next mayor is going to be making some big decisions," said city employee Timothy Lowry, as he ate lunch yesterday at an outdoor plaza on Second Avenue. "I don't know if people realize that yet."

The three Seattle City Council members - Cheryl Chow, Jane Noland and newcomer Charlie Chong - filed earlier in the week, as did Seattle Port Commissioner Paul Schell, County Councilman Greg Nickels, and former state Sen. Gordon Herr. Four others also jumped in, including perennial candidate Mike the Mover, Socialist Workers Party member Scott Breen and Stan Lippmann, a University of Washington law student running to publicize his opposition to vaccinations against measles, mumps and rubella. Yesterday, Seattle Seafair Pirate Davy Jones XLV - a k a Jim Guilfoil - entered to "spice up the campaign," and Max Englerius, who ran for governor last year, also threw his name into the competition.

Guilfoil, 38, speaking from a cell phone at the Torchlight Parade, said he was running on a Seafair Pirate Plank with a plan to fill potholes with fruitcake.

"No one eats the stuff anyway," he said.

Competition for the three City Council seats vacated by Chong, Chow and Noland promises to be fierce. At least half-a-dozen candidates are running for each of those seats, including former City Councilwoman Sherry Harris for Position 2 and brief mayoral candidate Peter Steinbrueck for Position 3.

City Council President Jan Drago will face three challengers in the primary. Newcomer Richard McIver will run against five challengers.

In King County elections, County Executive Ron Sims, who was appointed to the seat vacated by Gov. Gary Locke, is running for a full term.

Perennial candidate Ken Yeager will be on the primary-election ballot against Sims.

Sims did not draw big-name opposition from the Republican Party but will face state legislator Suzette Cooke, of Kent, who is best known for efforts to change welfare laws.

Cooke was persuaded to run for the job with promises of fund-raising help.

Appointed Sheriff Dave Reichert will be challenged by Chuck Pillon, a former sergeant in the Seattle Police Department who was fired after he challenged Chief Patrick Fitzsimons over methods of dealing with drug dealers, and Carl Clifton of Ravensdale.

In County Council races, Democrats are unlikely to upset the 7-6 Republican majority on the council and could lose ground.

The toughest re-election contest may be for first-term council member Democrat Maggi Fimia of Shoreline. Two Republicans, Tim Olsen of Bothell and Ed Sterner of Lake Forest Park, are running against her.

Republican Louise Miller, a veteran council member and former state legislator from Woodinville, faces a primary-election challenge from Chic Hendricks of Redmond. And Dwight Pelz, another former legislator now serving on the council, will defend his seat against two other Democrats: Sharon Tomiko Santos, a well-known community leader, and Jack Richards, a former Seattle City Council member and fire chief. In both cases, whoever wins the primary gets the seat.

Three Republican incumbents face general-election races, however:

Chris Vance of Kent will run against Stacey Brothers, an Auburn City Council member. Kent Pullen of Kent is opposed by Jean Bouffard, an attorney associated with efforts to incorporate the town of Covington. Peter von Reichbauer of Federal Way will face Democrat L. Andrew Miller.

Republican council Chairwoman Jane Hague of Bellevue is unopposed.

One of the hottest primary races in Snohomish County is expected to be Snohomish County Councilman R.C. "Swede" Johnson's bid for re-election on the Democrat ticket. Some local Democratic organizations already have endorsed Johnson's Democratic opponent, fisheries biologist Dave Somers.

Heightening the drama: The sole Republican who had filed for that seat, Corinne Hensley, withdrew from the race Thursday. The county Republican Party will have until Friday to nominate its own candidate.

In all, 171 county, municipal, school, judicial and local commission races will appear on the Sept. 16 ballot in Snohomish County.

Susan Byrnes' phone-message number is 206-464-2189. Her e-mail address is: suby-new@seatimes.com

Seattle Times staff reporters Diane Brooks, Anne Koch, Dee Norton and David Schaefer contributed to this report.