How Being Mayor Became the Worst Job in Politics Several big-city mayors have announced retirements or have been defeated this year, their approval ratings driven down by the pandemic and policing. June 10, 2021 • (Erika Schultz/Seattle Times/TNS) Seattle hasn’t re-elected a mayor since 2005. That streak will last at least four more years. Mayor Jenny Durkan announced late last year that she wouldn’t seek a second term. Seattle has been one of the nation’s most successful cities in recent years, with a booming economy and the biggest population growth of any large city. Growth always brings problems, and Seattle has suffered from both housing and transportation issues.