In year of changes at city hall, you can now apply for Seattle’s vacant city council seat

SEATTLE — Feel like trying your hand at serving on Seattle City Council? You could get your shot this month, as councilmembers work to fill the vacant seat left by Teresa Mosqueda.

Mosqueda formally resigned from her at-large position on Tuesday, having won a seat on the King County Council during the November election. To fill that role, the city will be accepting applications through Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Seattle’s city charter gives the council 20 days to fill a vacant seat. That process allows members of the public to apply for the job themselves. Then, anyone who qualifies will take part in a public interview forum.

After that, city councilmembers will vote on the appointment during a special meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The candidate chosen will serve out the remainder of Mosqueda’s term, which runs through the end of 2024.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, a registered Seattle voter at least 120 days prior to declaring candidacy, and a qualified Washington state elector. Councilmembers can also set additional qualifications.

An exact date for the public forum has not been set yet, but the city believes that it will be sometime between Jan. 11 and Jan. 16. Anyone who wants to submit feedback or be a part of the forum development process can send that to councilvacancy@seattle.gov by Jan. 9.

To submit for the council seat, you’ll need to send a resume and cover letter to the city clerk’s office.

For more on the process, you can head to this link.

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