Seattle City Council
The Seattle City Council is the legislative body of the city of Seattle, Washington. The Council consists of nine members serving four-year terms, seven of which are elected by electoral districts and two of which are elected in citywide at-large positions; all elections are non-partisan. It has the sole responsibility of approving the city's budget, and develops laws and policies intended to promote the health and safety of Seattle's residents. The Council passes all legislation related to the city's police, firefighting, parks, libraries, and electricity, water supply, solid waste, and drainage utilities.
Members
| District | Member | Party preference | First elected |
| 1 | Lisa Herbold | Democratic | 2015 |
| 2 | Tammy Morales | Democratic | 2019 |
| 3 | Kshama Sawant | Socialist Alternative | 2013 |
| 4 | Alex Pedersen | Democratic | 2019 |
| 5 | Debora Juarez | Democratic | 2015 |
| 6 | Dan Strauss | Democratic | 2019 |
| 7 | Andrew J. Lewis | Democratic | 2019 |
| 8 | Teresa Mosqueda | Democratic | 2017 |
| 9 | Lorena González | Democratic | 2015 |
;Notes
Elections
Election of city council members occur on odd-numbered years, with at-large seats staggered from district seats. City council members' terms begin January 1 although public ceremonies are held on the following Monday. The council positions are officially non-partisan and the ballot gives no party designations. Party identification is based on candidates' voluntary self-identification. Like other elections in Washington, all candidates run together in the primary with the top two progressing to the general election.Candidates may participate in Seattle's unique Democracy voucher program, which provides residents with vouchers to give candidates for public campaign funding.
Districts
Beginning in 2015, the geographic outline of the 7 districts and 2 citywide positions are as follows. Some neighborhoods overlap more than one district, indicated with an asterisk*. Redistricting will occur every 10 years starting in fall 2022.| District | Neighborhoods |
| 1 | West Seattle, Delridge, South Park, Harbor Island, Industrial District* |
| 2 | Beacon Hill*, Central District*, Downtown*, Rainier Valley*, Georgetown, Columbia City, Seward Park, Industrial District* |
| 3 | Beacon Hill*, Capitol Hill*, Cascade*, Central District*, First Hill*, Montlake, Rainier Valley* |
| 4 | Bryant, Cascade*, Fremont, Laurelhurst, Maple Leaf*, Ravenna, Roosevelt, Sand Point, University District, View Ridge, Wallingford*, Wedgwood* |
| 5 | Bitter Lake, Broadview, Greenwood*, Haller Lake, Lake City, Maple Leaf*, North Beach/Blue Ridge*, Northgate, Roosevelt*, View Ridge, Wedgwood* |
| 6 | Ballard, Crown Hill, Fremont*, Green Lake*, Greenwood*, North Beach/Blue Ridge*, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford* |
| 7 | Belltown, Capitol Hill*, Cascade*, Downtown*, First Hill*, Interbay, Magnolia, South Lake Union, Queen Anne |
| 8 | At-large position, citywide |
| 9 | At-large position, citywide |
History
Seattle was first incorporated as a town by an act of the Territorial Legislature on January 14, 1865. The town charter established a five-member board of trustees to govern Seattle, which appointed citizens to other positions. The act was repealed January 18, 1867, after most of the town's leading citizens petitioned for its dissolution. Seattle was again incorporated, this time as a City, on December 2, 1869. The new unicameral legislature, known as the Common Council, was elected at-large to one year terms. At-large election was replaced in 1884 by a system of 14 wards and four members elected at-large, all elected to two-year terms.The Home Rule Charter, adopted in 1890, reorganized the city council into a bicameral legislature, with a nine-member Board of Alderman and a sixteen-member House of Delegates.
2013 District-Citywide Format Change
In 2013, Seattle voters approved Charter Amendment 19 calling for the nine citywide Seattle City Council positions to be divided into seven district-elected seats and two citywide, at-large seats. The transition to districts started with 2013's elections for Positions 2, 4, 6, and 8 being truncated, two-year terms. 2015's election cycle featured all nine seats, except the seven district positions were elected to full, four-year terms and the two at-large positions would be for truncated, two-year terms. The first primary based on this system was held August 4, 2015 and the first city council election based on districts was held on November 3, 2015.Timeline
- 1869–1883 – Seven at-large Council members elected for one-year terms.
- 1884 – Nine Council members elected: three from each of the three wards, elected to two-year terms.
- 1886 – One ward added, Council reduced to eight members: two elected from each ward for two-years terms.
- 1890 – The Home Rule Charter established eight wards and bicameral legislature. A Board of Delegates composed of nine at-large members was elected for four-year terms. House of Delegates had 16 members – Two from each ward, elected for two-year terms.
- 1892 – One ward added to make nine. Both houses to have nine members – all elected from wards.
- 1896 – New Home Rule Charter reestablished unicameral legislature with nine wards. One Council member elected from each ward for two years and four elected at large for four-year terms.
- 1905 – Two wards added to make 11. One Council member from each with four at-large – 15 council members total.
- 1907 – The Charter was amended twice during the year, the first time adding two more wards, increasing the size of Council to 17. Later, another ward was added, increasing Council to 18 members.
- 1910 – The Charter was amended to abolish wards, reduce Council to nine at-large positions elected to three-year terms. This took effect in 1911 and remained constant until 1946. The 1910 Charter amendments also made the elections non-partisan. Prior to that candidates for Council ran on party tickets.
- 1946 – The new Charter created the four-year term.
- 2013 – City voters pass measure changing councilmember elections to a mostly-district-based system.
- 2015 – First councilmember elections to be held under new district-based system.
Salary
As of September 28, 2010, Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Richard Conlin, Nick Licata and Mike O'Brien earn $117,533.52 annually. Councilmembers who were re-elected in 2011, Tim Burgess, Sally J. Clark, Jean Godden, Bruce Harrell, and Tom Rasmussen, will earn an annual salary of $119,976.48, effective January 1, 2012. Their salary will remain at this level through December 31, 2015.
As of January 2017, salaries of councilmembers are authorized to be $59.08 per hour. This is equivalent to an annualized pay of $123,359.04
As of April 2018, salaries of councilmembers are authorized to be $62.11 per hour, an increase of 5% from 2017. This is equivalent to an annualized pay of $129,685.68.
Council President
The Seattle City Council picks among its peers a Council President to serve a two-year term, beginning January 1 of the year following an election. The Council President serves as the official head of the City's legislative department. In addition, they are tasked with:- Establishing of committees and appointment of committee chairs and members.
- Presiding over meetings of the full council.
- Assuming the duties and responsibilities of Mayor if the Mayor is absent or incapacitated.
Notable past council members
- Bruce Chapman, council member 1971–1975, Secretary of State of Washington, Director of the United States Census Bureau, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Organizations in Vienna.
- Charlie Chong, council member 1996–1997, West Seattle populist
- Arthur A. Denny, council member 1877–1879, leader of the Seattle pioneers known as the Denny Party
- Bailey Gatzert, council member 1872–1873 and 1877–1878, in between was elected the city's first Jewish mayor
- Hiram Gill, council member 1898–1902, 1904–1910, then mayor. Famous as an "Open Town" advocate, he later allied with "Closed Town" reformers.
- Jean Godden, council member 2003–2015, newspaper columnist before her time on the council
- Bertha Knight Landes, council member 1922–1926, then elected the city's first female mayor
- David Levine, council member 1931–1962
- Wing Luke, council member 1962–1965, first Asian American elected official in Washington State
- John Miller, council member 1972–1979, later a Republican congressman
- A. W. Piper, pioneer, baker, socialist member 1877–1879. Eponym of Pipers Creek and Piper Orchard
- Norm Rice, council member 1978–1989, then elected the city's first African American mayor
- Peter Steinbrueck, council member 1997–2007, architect
- Jeanette Williams, council member 1969–1989
- Henry Yesler, council member 1884–1885, Seattle pioneer, sawmill-owner, and twice mayor
| Elect. year | Pos 1 | Pos 2 | Pos 3 | Pos 4 | Pos 5 | Pos 6 | Pos 7 | Pos 8 | Pos 9 |
| 1991 | Sue Donaldson | Margaret Pageler | Tom Weeks | Sherry Harris | Cheryl Chow | Martha Choe | |||
| 1993 | Sue Donaldson | Jane Noland | Jan Drago | Margaret Pageler | Tom Weeks | Sherry Harris | Cheryl Chow | Martha Choe | |
| 1995 | Sue Donaldson | Jane Noland | John E. Manning | Jan Drago | Margaret Pageler | Tom Weeks | Tina Podlodowski | Martha Choe | |
| 1996 | Sue Donaldson | Jane Noland | John E. Manning | Jan Drago | Margaret Pageler | Charlie Chong | Tina Podlodowski | Martha Choe | |
| 1997 | Sue Donaldson | Richard Conlin | Peter Steinbrueck | Jan Drago | Margaret Pageler | Nick Licata | Tina Podlodowski | Richard McIver | Martha Choe |
| 1999 | Judy Nicastro | Richard Conlin | Peter Steinbrueck | Jan Drago | Margaret Pageler | Nick Licata | Heidi Wills | Richard McIver | Jim Compton |
| 2001 | Judy Nicastro | Richard Conlin | Peter Steinbrueck | Jan Drago | Margaret Pageler | Nick Licata | Heidi Wills | Richard McIver | Jim Compton |
| 2003 | Jean Godden | Richard Conlin | Peter Steinbrueck | Jan Drago | Tom Rasmussen | Nick Licata | David J. Della | Richard McIver | Jim Compton |
| 2005 | Jean Godden | Richard Conlin | Peter Steinbrueck | Jan Drago | Tom Rasmussen | Nick Licata | David J. Della | Richard McIver | Jim Compton |
| 2007 | Jean Godden | Richard Conlin | Bruce Harrell | Jan Drago | Tom Rasmussen | Nick Licata | Tim Burgess | Richard McIver | Sally J. Clark |
| 2009 | Jean Godden | Richard Conlin | Bruce Harrell | Sally Bagshaw | Tom Rasmussen | Nick Licata | Tim Burgess | Mike O'Brien | Sally J. Clark |
| 2011 | Jean Godden | Richard Conlin | Bruce Harrell | Sally Bagshaw | Tom Rasmussen | Nick Licata | Tim Burgess | Mike O'Brien | Sally J. Clark |
| 2013 | Jean Godden | Kshama Sawant | Bruce Harrell | Sally Bagshaw | Tom Rasmussen | Nick Licata | Tim Burgess | Mike O'Brien | Sally J. Clark |
| - | Distr 1 | Distr 2 | Distr 3 | Distr 4 | Distr 5 | Distr 6 | Distr 7 | Pos 8 | Pos 9 |
| 2015 | Lisa Herbold | Bruce Harrell | Kshama Sawant | Rob Johnson | Debora Juarez | Mike O'Brien | Sally Bagshaw | Tim Burgess | Lorena Gonzalez |
| 2015 | Lisa Herbold | Bruce Harrell | Kshama Sawant | Rob Johnson | Debora Juarez | Mike O'Brien | Sally Bagshaw | Kirsten Harris-Talley | Lorena Gonzalez |
| 2017 | Lisa Herbold | Bruce Harrell | Kshama Sawant | Abel Pacheco Jr. | Debora Juarez | Mike O'Brien | Sally Bagshaw | Teresa Mosqueda | Lorena Gonzalez |
| 2019 | Lisa Herbold | Tammy Morales | Kshama Sawant | Alex Pedersen | Debora Juarez | Dan Strauss | Andrew Lewis | Teresa Mosqueda | Lorena Gonzalez |
Archives
- 1938–1985. 4.87 cubic feet. Contains records from DeLacy's service with the Seattle City Council from 1938–1939.
- 1933–1963. 6.83 cubic feet. Contains records from Hamley's service with the Seattle City Council from 1935–1936.
- 1891–1952. 11.73 cubic feet. Contains records from Griffiths' career as Settle city councilman from 1910–1913.