(The Center Square) – Three candidates for the vacant King County Council District 5 seat have been announced by County Executive Dow Constantine.
Those candidates include former state Sen. Karen Keiser, former state legislator and former King County Councilmember Julia Patterson, and current Tukwila City Councilmember De’Sean Quinn.
Whoever is approved by the King County Council will serve until the certification of the next general election in November.
King County Council District 5 covers the Cities of Renton, Tukwila, Kent, SeaTac and Des Moines. It was previously represented by Dave Upthegrove, who served on the county council since he was first elected in 2013.
Upthegrove left the council after winning the 2024 election for the state lands commissioner position.
In a statement, Constantine said his nominees have the experience and understanding needed to effectively represent District 5 though this November’s election.
“Each [of the nominees] will be ready on day one to protect the interests of the residents of District 5 and the entire county pending a democratic process later this year when South King County voters will make their voices heard by choosing their next councilmember,” Constantine said.
Keiser retired from the Senate last year despite being in the middle of a four-year-term. She first began her career in the state Legislature in 1996.
Patterson represented the 33rd Legislative District from 1993 to 1997, when she was appointed to serve in the Senate. She was then elected to the King County Council in 2001 and served as the District 5 representative through January 2014. Upthegrove won the seat the previous November.
Quinn has been a Tukwila City Council member since 2008. He also works as an assistant general manager for King County Metro.
County executives are required to nominate candidates for appointments to vacancies on county councils. This was first established by the Legislature in 2010.
The council has 60 days to make the final appointment from when the position became vacant on Jan. 15.
