Seattle uses the Mayor-Council form of city government. The offices of the Mayor, nine City Council members and the City Attorney are all elected by the citizens.

As of January 2007, the Mayor of Seattle is Greg Nickels, and the members of the Seattle City Council are Sally Clark, Jean Godden, Richard Conlin, Bruce Harrell, Jan Drago, Tom Rasmussen, Nick Licata, Tim Burgess, and Richard McIver. The City Attorney is Thomas Carr.

The City of Seattle is part of King County. The County Executive is Ron Sims.

The Governor of the State of Washington is Christine Gregoire.

Among Seattle's notable past politicians is Bertha Knight Landes, mayor from 1926 to 1928. She was the first woman mayor of a major American city.