Community Organizer Elected as City Council Representative After Grassroots Campaign
Small-Dollar Donations and Volunteer Mobilization Fuel First-Time Candidate’s Victory in High-Turnout District Race
SEATTLE, Wash. Nov. 6, 2024 — Community organizer Maya Torres has won Seattle’s District 3 City Council seat, defeating three-term incumbent Councilmember Richard Liu with a campaign that raised 94 percent of its funds from donations under $200 and mobilized over 500 volunteers to contact more than 40,000 voters.
Torres, a former tenants’ rights organizer and policy strategist with the Seattle Housing Justice Coalition, secured 58.3 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s general election, representing a decisive mandate for progressive policy reforms in a district that saw 73 percent voter turnout—up from 54 percent in the 2020 cycle.
The victory demonstrates a continuing national trend of community organizers translating grassroots activist networks into electoral success. According to a July 2025 analysis by the Portland Elections Commission, candidates in neighboring Portland’s 2024 elections who relied on small-donor matching programs achieved unprecedented success, with half of winning council candidates receiving average contributions under $40 . The commission’s report found that such programs have narrowed the contribution gap between the wealthiest and least affluent zip codes from 900-to-1 in 2016 to just 21-to-1 in 2024, demonstrating how grassroots fundraising can fundamentally reshape campaign finance dynamics at the municipal level.
Torres’s campaign finance reports filed with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission show she raised $347,000 from 8,240 individual contributors, with an average donation of $42. By contrast, incumbent Liu raised $512,000 from just 1,850 donors, averaging $277 per contribution. Torres declined corporate PAC contributions and participated in Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program, which provided public matching funds for small donations.
“Maya’s victory proves that deep community relationships and policy expertise can overcome entrenched incumbency and big-money politics,” said David Chen, executive director of the Washington Progressive Alliance, which endorsed Torres. “Her campaign knocked on 23,000 doors, made 31,000 phone calls, and sent 45,000 text messages—all powered by volunteers who believed in her vision for rent stabilization and green infrastructure.”
Research from the Center for American Progress indicates that small-donor matching programs like Seattle’s increase donor diversity across geographic and economic boundaries, with participating candidates drawing support from nearly 90 percent of census block groups compared to just 30 percent for traditional campaigns. Torres’s campaign data reflects this pattern: contributions came from 94 percent of District 3’s neighborhoods, including areas with median household incomes below $45,000 that had previously shown minimal campaign contribution activity.
The campaign’s volunteer structure mirrored the “inside-outside” organizing strategy documented in successful progressive campaigns nationwide. Core volunteers—many drawn from tenant advocacy, climate justice, and mutual aid networks—hosted 47 house parties and community forums, generating both donations and voter contact lists. This approach aligns with findings from the 2023 Chicago mayoral race, where community organizers noted that sustained neighborhood engagement was more effective than traditional media buys in persuading low-propensity voters.
Analysis of voter file data shows Torres won decisive margins among renters (71 percent), voters under 35 (68 percent), and Latinx constituents (64 percent). Her platform focused on universal rental assistance, municipal broadband expansion, and participatory budgeting—priorities developed through two years of community listening sessions before she entered the race.
“Community organizers understand that electoral wins are just one tactic in a broader strategy for structural change,” said Anika Bowie, a St. Paul City Council member who transitioned from 12 years of grassroots organizing and monitored Torres’s race. “Maya’s campaign didn’t just mobilize voters; it built permanent organizing infrastructure that will hold her accountable and continue shaping policy beyond Election Day.”
Torres will be sworn in on January 1, 2025. Her first proposed legislation would establish a tenant legal defense fund and require community benefit agreements for developments receiving city subsidies.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE
The Washington Progressive Alliance is a statewide coalition of community organizations, labor unions, and advocacy groups working to elect progressive leaders and advance policies that address economic inequality, racial justice, and climate action. Founded in 2018, the alliance has helped elect 23 first-time candidates to local and state office through grassroots training programs and shared data infrastructure. For more information, visit washingtonprogressive.org.
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