Council Vacancy
Why is There a Vacancy on the Seattle City Council?
Councilmember Cathy Moore (District 5) resigned her seat on the Seattle City Council, effective July 7, 2025, leaving a vacancy on the Seattle City Council beginning on July 8, 2025.
The City Charter gives the City Council 20 calendar days to fill a vacant Council position. This 20-day period begins, July 8, 2025, the first day following Councilmember Moore’s official resignation, and ends on, July 28, 2025.
From the date of the appointment, the newly appointed councilmember will serve until the 2026 General Election results are certified by King County Elections and the newly elected councilmember representing District 5 takes the oath of office.
Meetings and Public Forum
Dates subject to change
Community Forum
Monday, July 21, 2025 at TBD
Scheduled City Council Meetings to Discuss Candidates
Thursday, July 17, 2025 at TBD
Tuesday, July 22 at TBD
Anticipated City Council Vote on Appointment
Special City Council Meeting, Monday, July 28 at TBD
Please note: Information provided by applicants for the vacant Council seat and Community Organizations is considered a public record and may be subject to public disclosure. For more information, see the Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56. To learn more about how we manage your information, see our Privacy Statement.
Applications and Qualifications
What is noted below are the minimum requirements for filling the Council Vacancy, as determined by Ordinance No. 125479.
Application Period:
Opens: Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at 8 a.m.
Closes: Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Applications must be received before 5 p.m.
Applications may be submitted by email at Councilvacancy@seattle.gov or in person at Seattle City Hall, City Clerk's Office, Floor 3.
Completed applications must be received by the City Clerk before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in order for an application to be accepted. An application is considered complete if it includes all the required attachments as described below.
Applicants must submit the following to the City Clerk:
- Resume
- Cover letter
- Completed financial interest statement form (must include name and address used to register with King County Elections)
The City Charter requires applicants to be:
- A citizen of the United States
- A qualified elector of the State of Washington
- Able to read and write the English language
- An active registered voter of the City of Seattle, and residing in the district represented, for at least 120 days prior to and including the date of the filing the declaration of candidacy, which is determined by verifying an active voter registration status with King County Elections at the address provided by the applicant on the financial interest statement.
Any additional qualifications may be determined by the Council.
The dates and formats of meetings and forums, and the procedure to vote for candidates will be determined by the Council.
Additional Information
Read the "Meetings and Public Forum" section of this page above for information about upcoming meetings regarding the council vacancy.