King County Council

Last updated

Metropolitan King County Council
King County, Washington
Metropolitan King County Council Logo.png
Type
Type
Leadership
Chairperson
Vice Chair
Vice Chair
Structure
Seats9
King County Council 2022.svg
Political groups
Officially nonpartisan
Democratic Party (7)
Republican Party (2)
Committees
List of Committees
    • Budget and Fiscal Management
    • Committee of the Whole
    • Government Accountability and Oversight
    • Employment and Administration
    • Health, Housing and Human Services
    • Law and Justice
    • Transportation, Economy and Environment
    • Regional Policy
    • Regional Transit
    • Regional Water Quality
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Last election
November 7, 2023
Meeting place
1200 King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98104
Website
King County Council

The Metropolitan King County Council , the legislative body of King County, Washington, consists of nine members elected by district. The Council adopts laws, sets policy, and holds final approval over the budget. Its current name and structure is the result of a merger of King County and the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle, better known as Metro, which was a federated county-city structure responsible for water quality and public transportation.

Contents

Councilmembers

As a result of a County Charter amendment passed by voters in the November 2008 elections, all elective offices of King County are officially nonpartisan; that being said, all current council members have made their party affiliations a matter of public record. [1] [ better source needed ]

Meetings

The full county council meets weekly on Thursdays, except for the fifth Thursday in a month. Public comments are permitted at the fourth meeting of the month. Meetings are held in the County Council chambers, Room 1001, on the tenth floor of the King County Courthouse in Downtown Seattle. [7]

Structure

The nine members of the council are elected by their district to four-year terms in nonpartisan contests. Councilmembers in even numbered districts are up for election in 2023, while Councilmembers in odd districts are up for election in 2025. [8] Prior to 2009, councilmembers were elected on a partisan basis, and had to declare their political party unless they filed as an Independent. An independent candidate had to receive at least 20 percent of the vote in the primary election to qualify for the general election ballot.[ citation needed ] This changed upon the passage of Charter Amendment 8 by voters in 2008, which made all elections for county offices nonpartisan. [9]

The Council uses its committee structure to consider the legislation before it. Ordinances and motions (policy statements) are assigned to a King County Council committee for consideration, and then are recommended to the full Council for action. Each year, the Council reorganizes and elects a Chair and Vice Chair. In addition, the Council decides yearly on its committee structure and makeup. Currently there are nine standing policy committees and three regional committees. Members of the Seattle City Council and representatives from suburban cities and local sewer districts are also members of the regional committees. In addition, all nine members of the Council meet as a Committee of the Whole to discuss broad-reaching legislation and issues.

The King County Executive is not a member of the Council, and is a separately elected official. The Executive submits legislation to the Council for consideration. Each year in October, the Executive submits a proposed budget to the County Council for the operation of County government for the coming year. The Executive has veto power over ordinances passed by the Council.

Redistricting

In the 2004 general election voters approved a charter amendment to reduce the size of the council from thirteen to nine, which went into effect January 1, 2006. With four fewer districts, the number of constituents per district rose from 138,000 residents to about 193,000. [10]

Past councilmembers

As of 2024 [11]
DistrictCouncilmemberPolitical party [lower-alpha 1] Term startTerm end
1Tracy Owen Republican 19691981
2Bob DunnRepublican19691979
3 Bill Reams Republican19691989
4 Bernice Stern Democratic 19691980
5John O'BrienRepublican19691973
6Tom ForsytheRepublican19691975
7 Ed Munro Democratic19691973
8 Ed Heavey Democratic19691975
9Dave MooneyDemocratic19691976
5 Ruby Chow Democratic19741985
7 Paul Barden Republican19741993
6 Mike Lowry Democratic19761979
8 Bob Greive Democratic19761987
9Bob GainesDemocratic19771977
6Pat ThorpeDemocratic19791979
2 Scott Blair Republican19801983
4 Lois North Republican19801992
6Bruce LaingRepublican19801996
1 Audrey Gruger Democratic19821993
2 Cynthia Sullivan Democratic19842003
5 Ron Sims Democratic19861997
8 Greg Nickels Democratic19882001
3Brian DerdowskiRepublican19901999
9 Kent Pullen Republican19902003
4 Larry Phillips Democratic19922015
1Maggie FimiaDemocratic19942001
3 Louise Miller Republican19942001
10 Larry Gossett Democratic19942019
11 Jane Hague Republican19942015
13 Chris Vance Republican19942001
6 Rob McKenna Republican19962005
5 Dwight Pelz Democratic19972005
12David IronsRepublican20002005
13 Les Thomas Republican20012001
1 Carolyn Edmonds Democratic20022005
3 Kathy Lambert Republican20022021
13 Julia Patterson Democratic20022013
8 Dow Constantine Democratic20022009
9Steve HammondRepublican20032005
2 Bob Ferguson Democratic20042013
8 Jan Drago Democratic20102010
8 Joe McDermott Democratic20112024
4 Jeanne Kohl-Welles Democratic20162024

Notes

  1. ↑ Although county offices in King County were made officially nonpartisan in 2008, all councillors have made their party affiliations a matter of public record. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Board, SW Editorial (October 4, 2017). "Even in King County, the Republican Party Is One Big Gun Silencer". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Sarah Perry wins King County Council seat, ending Kathy Lambert's two-decade hold". November 4, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Gutman, David (January 9, 2024). "Barón, Mosqueda become King County Council's first Latino members". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Von Reichbauer favors nonpartisan county elections". Seattle Times.
  5. ↑ "Councilmember Reagan Dunn – Biography" . Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Attorney general's race: Republican Dunn carves his own path". Seattle Times. October 11, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Full Council Meetings". King County Council. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  8. ↑ Gutman, David (October 10, 2022). "Voters to decide whether to move King County elections to even years". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  9. ↑ Ervin, Keith (November 5, 2008). "Initiative to make top posts nonpartisan leading handily". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  10. ↑ Downing, Jim (January 4, 2005). "Four plans surface to shrink County Council". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  11. ↑ Nickels, Greg (February 14, 2017). "King County Councilmembers, 1969-present". Historylink. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
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