Post navigation

Prev: (02/18/15) | Next: (02/19/15)

Clark’s exit adds new twists to Seattle City Council races

Mayor Murray and Council member Clark found common ground Kitty Hall (Image: Seattle.gov)

Mayor Murray and Council member Clark found common ground Kitty Hall (Image: Seattle.gov)

For a short time Wednesday, Central District land use activist Bill Bradburd leapt ahead in his race for one of the two at-large seats on the new Seattle City Council:

Councilmember Sally J. Clark released the following statement regarding serving another term on the Seattle City Council:

“After almost 10 years of service to the people of the greatest city in the country, and with tremendous and valued colleagues, it’s time for me to start a new chapter. I will not run for re-election to Seattle City Council this fall.

Screen Shot 2015-02-18 at 9.33.12 PMCHS wrote about the slow growther and planning-focused Bradburd’s quest to take on Clark earlier this month. Bradburd’s boost didn’t last long:

M. Lorena González, a nationally recognized attorney and civil rights leader currently serving as Legal Counsel to Mayor Ed Murray, has announced that she will run for the at-large Council seat being vacated by incumbent Councilmember Sally Clark.

González, who lives in West Seattle, practiced employment and gender discrimination law prior to being tapped for the role of Legal Counsel to Mayor Ed Murray last year. She is a longtime advocate for civil rights, and past board president of OneAmerica, the State’s largest immigrant and human rights organization, based in Seattle. She has also served on the Seattle Police Accountability Review Panel, and on the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Working with non-profit organizations, she developed a community partnership to fund a free monthly bilingual legal clinic, which has provided legal services to more than 1,000 low-income residents since 2007.

“I am excited for the opportunity to bring new energy, perspective and experience to the City Council,” said González, who is making her first run for public office. “As Seattle grows and changes, I will be strong voice committed to protecting our diversity, affordability, and quality of life. We need leaders committed to safe, nurturing communities, better schools for all our kids and opportunities for small businesses to thrive. Having worked on so many of these issues over the years professionally and as a community advocate, I would be thrilled for the opportunity to work for the people of Seattle as a Councilmember.”

Clark’s exit from the race marks the third sitting City Council member to announce they will not continue to seek office as part of the new district-based election system. CHS reported on the Capitol Hill legacies of veteran Council members Tom Rasmussen and Nick Licata here after they announced they would not be running earlier this year. Looks like we’ll need to get together a similar goodbye for Clark.

With Clark’s departure, Seattle’s version of political intrigue is running full speed with prognostication on who might join incumbent Council member Tim Burgess in the races for the two at-large seats. Earlier this week, CHS reported on the campaign plans for WA Tenants Union director Jon Grant as he makes up his mind which of the seats to stretch for. Eyes are also turning to incumbent Kshama Sawant who currently is lined up as the candidate to beat for District 3 covering Capitol Hill, First Hill, Montlake, and the Central District.

Subscribe and support CHS Contributors -- $1/$5/$10 per month

3 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
citycat
citycat
9 years ago

Wow, it sure looks like they are busy and working hard at “kitty hall.” I hope someone has information that this was part of an official Seattle Animal Shelter event where the Mayor and Sally Clark were promoting pet adoption.

trackback

[…] Clark’s mid-term, mid-election retirement from the City Council has, indeed, created some new twists in Seattle’s politics. 44 people have registered to fill her position until the fall election […]