The Seattle City Council is the legislative branch of government.
Members set the City's direction by enacting ordinances
and passing resolutions.
The council authorizes expenditures, adopts
regulations, levies taxes, controls the finances
and property of the City, and performs many
related legislative tasks.
This year, there is a special election to fill the
unexpired term in District 5.
Only voters in District 5, which is at the north end of Seattle,
will vote in this election.
The candidate elected to this position will serve
the remaining year of the four-year term and be on
the ballot again in 2027.
Only voters in District 5 can vote in the special
election for Seattle City Council District 5.
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-My name is Dimitri Georgakopoulos.
I'm running for the Seattle City
Council District 5 seat.
I was born and raised in Seattle.
I grew up in Montlake and have called
Seattle home for 58 years.
I was very active at a young age at Montlake Community Center.
I graduated from Garfield High School and earned a
degree in history with a minor in political science
from Seattle University.
I love the city and I've watched it evolve through
every critical moment of its growth over those years.
I've lived in District 5 for the past 15 years and I can
say once again, we are at one of those critical moments.
I know we can do better and here's what sets me apart.
For the past 30 years, I've been an entrepreneur, owning
and operating restaurants, as well as helping others build
theirs from the ground up.
For the last 13 years, I've been selling real estate with Windermere.
In both worlds, time is of the essence.
It's not just a phrase, it's how
I operate.
What I bring to this position is the ability
to work across personalities, communicate clearly, pivot when
necessary, and move efficiently to get problems solved.
That skill set is exactly what District 5 needs right now.
because the challenges here are real.
From the violence along Aurora Avenue
between 95th and 145th to the growing
number of vacancies as businesses close or
leave our neighborhoods.
These aren't abstract policy issues.
They are a crisis.
The time to act is now.
When elected, I will be your loudest and strongest advocate.
I encourage you to follow my Facebook page.
Please do reach out.
Let's work together to set an example of how effective
leadership in District 5 can reset the tone and table for
the rest of the Emerald City.
Once again, my name is Dimitri Georgakopoulos,
and I'm running for the City Council seat for District 5.
Thank you.
-I'm Silas James, a healthcare educator, advocate, researcher,
Democratic Socialist, union member, and former
chair of the Seattle Disability Commission.
I'm running for Seattle City Council in District 5
because I love Seattle.
District 5 is my home.
I want Seattle to live up to its promise as a welcoming city.
Immigrants and refugees seeking sanctuary from abroad or fleeing
another state for reproductive access, gender-affirming care,
or personal safety should know our city welcomes and will
protect them.
Seattle's corporate surveillance program is expensive and puts
the very people we promise to protect in danger.
It must be ended.
But for Seattle to be truly welcoming, it also
has to be affordable.
The gap between Seattle's wealthiest and the
rest of us is growing.
Renters and homeowners are being priced out of our city.
I'm not a millionaire.
I don't have a six-figure income.
Just like you, I'm reminded every single day of how
expensive Seattle is.
The answer to Seattle's problems isn't more cops,
and it's not more cameras.
It's making Seattle more affordable.
For true public safety, we need to address poverty.
And that means guaranteeing a basic income that people
can count on no matter what.
Housing people can afford;
fast, reliable, and free public transportation;
healthcare access and support for people in crisis.
For almost 20 years, I've worked tirelessly helping people
find housing, get healthcare, access public benefits,
and graduate college.
I understand these systems.
I've used them myself.
I know where they're broken, and I know how to fix them.
I'm Silas James.
Let's create a safer, more affordable Seattle together.
We deserve a city where working people
can still have a future.
- I'm Julie Kang, and I'm running to represent District 5
on the Seattle City Council.
I'm a 30-year North Seattle resident, an educator,
union household member, civic leader, and a
first-generation immigrant.
Throughout my career, I have focused on making
systems work for everyone.
As a co-founder of a community bank in District 5,
I expanded access to capital for small businesses
and learn the importance of accountability,
transparency, and responsible stewardship of public funds.
District 5 needs a leader with practical
problem-solving experience who will advocate for
equitable resources for our community.
On the Council, I'll advance middle housing
and transit-oriented development to create
mixed-income neighborhoods with walkability,
infrastructure, and affordability.
I'll integrate climate planning into housing
and fight for safer access to parks, transits, schools,
and businesses.
I'll strengthen public safety
through transparent reporting, coordinated crisis
response, and measurable improvements across SPD,
the CARE team, behavioral health systems, and community
partners. To reduce gun violence, I'll invest in
in behavioral health, suicide prevention, youth intervention,
safe firearm storage education, and trauma-informed services.
I'll support small businesses through public
safety coordination, storefront stabilization,
neighborhood activation, and investments that
increase foot traffic and economic opportunity.
As your councilmember, I will always strive to improve the
lives of working families, seniors, and immigrants,
and I'll stand up to threats from our federal government
that undermine our city's value.
I'm proud to be endorsed by the 32nd LD Democrats, elected
officials, and community leaders from across District 5.
I'm Julie Kang, running for Seattle City Council
District 5, and I'll be honored to earn your vote.
-Hi, I'm Nilu Jenks, candidate for Seattle
City Council District 5.
I'm running because the issues facing North Seattle are
not being solved.
Seattle is a deeply progressive city.
We have the resources, the talent, and the votes to
tackle major challenges, but often City Hall feels
disconnected from what people are facing every day.
When the Fred Meyer in Lake City closed, my kids asked
me why nobody fought harder to save it or replace it.
I didn't have a good answer.
Families without cars lost access to groceries and
pharmacy services overnight, and our city had no real plan.
That's not acceptable.
Housing costs continue to skyrocket, pushing more
people into disability and homelessness,
while longtime residents struggle to stay in the
neighborhoods they love.
My priorities are straightforward and reflect
my conversations with my neighbors across the district.
Build more affordable housing, improve safety on
Lake City Way and Aurora, support neighborhood
businesses, strengthen gun violence prevention,
protect immigrant communities from federal
overreach, move us toward meeting our climate goals,
and make sure ranked choice voting is successfully
implemented in 2027 so voters trust and
understand the system.
From serving as a PTA advocacy chair at John Rogers Elementary
to organizing one of the largest gun buyback programs
after the Parkland shootings to working to implement ranked
choice voting in Seattle in 2027 as the Fair Vote Washington
political director, my work has always been
about connecting people and delivering results.
I'm endorsed by the King County Democrats, the 32nd, 36th,
and 46th District Democrats, Washington Conservation Action,
the Working Families Party, United Auto Workers, Seattle
City Workers, Grocery Workers, King County Executive Girmay
Zahilay, Seattle City Councilmembers Alexis Mercedes
Rinck and Joy Hollingsworth, Senators Javier Valdez and
Noel Frame, Representatives Darya Farivar, Julia Reed,
Liz Berry, and more.
And I would be honored to earn your vote.
Thank you.