As candidates are putting their names in the ring for some districts, other longtime Seattle City Council members announced last week that they won’t take part in the city’s first-ever district-based elections in November.
Nick Licata, the council’s longtime liberal stronghold, announced that he won’t run this year so he can continue working on inequality issues in Seattle and recreate Seattle’s accomplishments in other cities. Licata would have run in District 6, against fellow City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, who announced his candidacy on Monday, Jan. 26.
Also bowing out is City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. He said he plans to use his remaining time on the council to fulfill Proposition 1 promises, finalize the neighborhood Conservation District legislation, prepare a comprehensive transit measure and create a greenspace opportunity fund. Rasmussen, a West Seattle resident, leaves the District 1 race open for a newcomer.
District 5, in North Seattle is also unclaimed by a current council member, while City Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw and Tom Burgess are both eligible for Queen Anne and Magnolia’s District 7, although one of them is expected to run for an at-large position.
It’s already becoming clear that not only will our council look vastly different, we’ll have more new faces than expected. A little new blood should be a good thing.