(The Center Square) – Newly elected King County Executive Girmay Zahilay has announced three nominees to fill his vacant King County Council District 2 seat, each of whom would make county history when appointed.
The nominees are Cherryl Jackson-Williams, Nimco Bulale, and Rhonda Lewis, who are all Black women. This means whoever is appointed will become the first Black woman to serve on the King County Council. The appointment will also create the first majority-woman council in the county’s history.
Jackson-Williams, a member of Zahilay’s transition team, is currently a community engagement coordinator with the Renton School District. She is a resident of Skyway with more than 30 years of experience in behavioral health, and social and human services.
Bulale, a South Seattle resident, was born in Somalia, but raised in the Emerald City. She is currently the senior program officer for community programs at the Seattle Foundation. She ran for the Washington House of Representatives, District 37, Position 2 seat in the August 2022 primary election and did not advance to the general election. She also applied for the Seattle City Council District 2 seat when Tammy Morales resigned in January, but was not selected.
Lewis served as Zahilay’s chief of staff for his District 2 office, and prior to that, was the chief of operations for King County Executive Dow Constantine, where she oversaw nine departments with approximately 12,000 employees. According to a news release, in her role as COO, she helped create King County’s first Zero Youth Detention Strategic Plan and led the development of the county’s inaugural Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan.
“I know that any of the three will continue the important work of representing and fighting for District 2 residents on the King County Council,” Zahilay said in a statement.
When Zahilay was sworn in on Nov. 25, he said he would only nominate individuals who have pledged to serve as a “caretaker” appointment and to not run for a full term in the 2026 election. The winner of that election will be sworn in to the next full four-year term.
The King County Council will make an appointment from the three nominees at their meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
