Dozens apply for at-large Seattle City Council seat
The Seattle City Council unveiled the official list of qualified applicants for the open seat on the dais — more than 72 people have applied.
The position is temporary. The Council will select a candidate to fill the empty role until the next election in November 2024. It's a replacement for former Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who represented Seattle's at-large Position 8. Mosqueda departed earlier this month after being elected to a new job on the King County Council.
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Some of the more familiar names on the applicant list include people who have previously run for City Council.
- Chinatown International District activist Tanya Woo, who lost her bid for Council last fall against incumbent Tammy Morales.
- Attorney Phil Tavel, who ran twice to represent West Seattle.
- Clinical Social worker Preston Anderson, who also ran to represent West Seattle last year.
- Activist and design consultant Kate Martin, who previously ran for a number of offices, including City Council.
- Ry Armstrong, who ran last fall to replace Kshama Sawant.
Other names include:
- Vivian Song, who currently serves on the Seattle School Board.
- Juan Cotto, an activist who works at Bloodworks Northwest.
- Captain Steve Strand, who has been in charge of the Seattle Police Department's West Precinct since 2021.
- Political activist Jack Edson Whisner, who quotes Liam Neeson in "Taken” in his cover letter: "I do have a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that would benefit the council in many ways."
Next, the Council will get input from the public and is expected to make a decision on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Voters will get their say on who permanently occupies the at-large Position 8 seat in a special election later this year, starting with an August primary election.
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The top two vote-getters will move on to the general election in November. Whoever gets the interim appointment would not be prevented from running.
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David Hyde
Reporter
David’s people-focused politics coverage tracks local and national races. At KUOW, David has also reported for our Hearken Team answering listener questions,and covered a variety of other topics ranging from vaccine hesitancy to climate change.
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