Seattle City Council names 6 finalists to replace Cathy Moore

The Seattle City Council has selected six finalists to fill the District 5 seat left open when former Councilmember Cathy Moore stepped down earlier this month.

Moore's replacement will be selected on July 28.

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The candidates include:

• James M. Bourey, the executive director of the Seattle Architecture Foundation. He also previously served as city manager in Newport News, Va., and Greenville, S.C.
• Katy Haima, a community planning manager for the city of Seattle. She's worked for the city in various roles for the last decade, namely in the Office of Planning and Community Development.
• Nilu Jenks, who previously ran for this seat in 2023; Jenks came in third in the primary behind Cathy Moore and ChrisTiana ObeySumner. Jenks is the political and partnerships director for FairVote Washington.
• Debora Juarez, who previously represented District 5 on the City Council, including as president. As a member of the Blackfeet Nation, she was the first Native American to serve on the Council when she was first elected in 2015. She opted not to run for reelection in 2023.
• Julie Kang, the director of professional and continuing education at Seattle University. Kang also serves on numerous community boards, including the King County Citizens' Election Oversight Committee, the Seattle City Club Board, and the Korean American Coalition of Washington Board.
• Robert D. Wilson, a senior product manager at Amazon who addressed his lack of experience in public office in his application letter. "If you are looking for someone with extensive experience in elected office," he wrote, "you can save yourself time by putting my application down right now." He's been with Amazon for nearly a decade and served in the Navy before that.

They were selected from a pool of 22 candidates who sought a chance to represent the district that encompasses North Seattle, including portions of Greenwood up through Broadview, Bitter Lake, and Lake City.

The finalists will appear at a public forum at North Seattle College on July 21 and again on July 22 during a special council meeting. The City Council members are expected to hold a final vote to appoint Moore's replacement on July 28.

Moore decided to step down in June in the midst of her first term on the City Council, citing "recent health challenges." Her last day on the job was July 7.

Hers was the third vacancy left on the council in just two years.

Former City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda left her post in January 2024 to take a seat on the King County Council. Then, former Councilmember Tammy Morales stepped down last January, citing bullying and gaslighting at the Council.

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That may lead some to wonder why Debora Juarez, herself a former member of the council, wants to come back now after choosing not to run to keep the seat in 2023. She addressed that in her application letter.

"It's simple: I was called to serve," Juarez wrote. "I would be honored to bring my 'Elder Auntie' experience, wisdom gained with no regrets, and vision to this important role once again, this time as a caretaker of the seat until a new councilmember can be elected."

As Juarez's statement suggests, if the person appointed to the District 5 seat wants to keep it in the long term, they'll have to run for it.

In 2026, voters will select who they want to serve the remainder of Moore's term, which ends in December 2027. To keep the seat beyond that, the winner of the 2026 special election would have to run and win yet again in the 2027 election.