Ed Fitch

The race for mayor of Redmond is already heating up, with three candidates filing to run for the city’s top job.

Incumbent Ed Fitch will run for reelection in November. But he has already drawn a challenger in City Council President Cat Zwicker. Charles Baer has also filed to run again for Redmond mayor.

Fitch, 73, returned to mayor’s seat in 2022, prevailing in a four-way race. That gave him a two-year term set to expire in January.

Zwicker was first appointed to the Redmond City Council in 2021 and ran for election the following year. She said she has been impressed by the active and engaged current council, but saw a need for increased transparency, debate and renewed focus on affordability for Redmond residents.

“I know this has surprised a lot of people, but I really felt like this was the right time (to run),” said Zwicker. “This was a good time for me to try to step out.”

Zwicker has lived in Redmond for 24 years and is the owner of Desert Sky Realty in Redmond. She said it was the spirit of transparency that led her to declare her candidacy early in the filing season. She said she thinks her decision to run for mayor will not affect council business during the lead up to the election.

The winner of the November mayoral election will serve the last two-year term in Redmond. Because of voter-approved changes to the city charter in May, mayoral terms starting in 2027 will last for four years. Mayors will also be limited to serving two consecutive terms.

There is not yet any competition in three Redmond City Council seats up for election in November.

Councilor Clifford Evelyn has filed to run for reelection. No one has yet filed for seats currently held by Tobias Colvin and Shannon Wedding.

Candidates still have a month to make a decision. The filing deadline for the November ballot is 5 p.m. on Aug. 27.

To compete, candidates must be 18 years of age, registered to vote and reside within Redmond city limits for at least one year prior to Election Day.