(The Center Square) – As one progressive joins the Seattle City Council, another is on the way out, with Tammy Morales announcing that she’s resigning from her seat on the council next month.
Morales announced that she is resigning from her position as the District 2 representative on the Seattle City Council in an email to residents of her district.
Her resignation will be effective on Jan. 6, 2025.
Morales cited mental health as a reason for her decision. In her letter, she stated that her role as council member has caused her mental and physical well-being to deteriorate.
Since the new slew of city council members started at the beginning of this year, Morales’ progressive views and proposals have stuck out as the minority in a council that leans more left-center.
“For the last 11 months, this council has eroded our checks and balances as a legislative department and undermined my work as a policymaker,” Morales said in her letter.
This year, Morales has seen some of her proposals rejected by the council, such as a bill to establish a pilot program intended to allow affordable housing developments the ability to build larger residential projects.
She has also opposed fellow councilmembers’ legislation intended to curb crime and drug use, saying the slew of bills do not add accountability to the police department.
Most recently, Morales was the lone vote in opposition of the 2025-2026 budget that was passed last month.
This decision comes right after Alexis Mercedes Rinck was sworn in as a representative of the Seattle citywide seat. Rinck ran her campaign on progressive initiatives. She will now replace Morales as the sole progressive voice on the council.
In her letter, Morales also accused the Seattle City Council of “stifling first amendment rights of public commenters by arresting people” and intimidating them by having a police presence whenever a controversial legislation was being considered.
During council meetings in which dozens of Seattle residents signed up to speak during public comment period, they were given one minute to speak, rather than the typical two minutes allowed.
Council members also continued to request those in chambers to use “jazz hands” rather than clap or cheer during public comment periods.
Morales has represented the neighborhoods of Rainier Beach, Beacon Hill, Columbia City and the Chinatown/International District since 2020. She was reelected to her seat in 2023.
The Seattle City Council will now have to appoint another person to the citywide seat for next year until the 2025 November election. The council appointed Tanya Woo to Rinck’s position in January.
Woo notably lost to Morales in the District 2 race in 2023 and lost her appointed seat to Rinck in the 2024 general election.
