Dionne Foster | |
|---|---|
 Foster in 2025 | |
| Member-elect of the Seattle City Council for Position 9 | |
| Assuming office January 2026 | |
| Succeeding | Sara Nelson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1988or1989(age 36–37) |
| Residence(s) | Rainier Beach,Seattle |
| Education | George Mason University (BA) University of Washington (MSW) |
| Website | Campaign website |
Dionne Foster is an American politician who is the councilmember-elect for Seattle City Council Position 9. She was elected in 2025,defeating City Council President Sara Nelson. [1]
Foster was born in Germany and raised in Virginia by her mother,who was a member of the United States Army and later worked as a teacher. [2] [3] Foster attended George Mason University,where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and women's studies. [4] [5] While at George Mason,she received the Spirit King Award for a commitment to civil rights and the Dennis-Weathers Award for a dedication to increasing cross-cultural awareness. [3] [6] Foster moved to Seattle in 2011,earning a Master's degree from the University of Washington School of Social Work and would later become an adjunct faculty member. [3]
After college,Foster worked at Puget Sound Sage,a social work nonprofit. [2] [7] From 2016 to 2018,she worked for Seattle Public Utilities,a government agency for the city,as a policy advisor tasked with boosting enrollment for the city's utilities discount program. [2] [7] From 2018 to 2020,Foster managed grants as a program officer for the Seattle Foundation,a non-profit community foundation. [2] [7] Before running for office,Foster worked as executive director of the Washington Progress Alliance,a progressive advocacy organization,where she spearheaded advocacy for Washington state’s capital gains tax. [2] [8]
In March 2025,Foster announced her candidacy for Seattle City Council,challenging City Council President Sara Nelson's reelection campaign. [9] She campaigned to Nelson's left,advocating for rebuilding the Seattle Police Department,greater investments in affordable housing,and rent stabilization. [10] [11] She also campaigned on denser housing and a greater focus on climate change in the city council. [12]
In the August primary,Foster won a majority of the vote at 58.4%,over Nelson's 35.3%. The two advanced to the general election out of a field of four candidates. [13] During the general election,Foster led two polls of the Position 9 race,one commissioned by The Stranger and another by the Northwest Progressive Institute . [14] [15] She would win decisively over Nelson in the general election with over 60% of the vote. [16] [17]
Foster has one son. [12] She lives in Rainier Beach. [1]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dionne Foster | 110,636 | 58.44% | |
| Sara Nelson (incumbent) | 66,909 | 35.34% | |
| Mia Jacobson | 5,845 | 3.09% | |
| Connor Nash | 5,532 | 2.92% | |
| Write-in | 393 | 0.21% | |
| Total votes | 189,315 | 100.00% | |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dionne Foster | 165,930 | 62.80% | |
| Sara Nelson (incumbent) | 97,710 | 36.98% | |
| Write-in | 579 | 0.22% | |
| Total votes | 264,219 | 100.00% | |