Seattle's New Council Member Is ... Kirsten Harris-TaIIey

SEATTLE, WA - The Seattle City Council picked Kirsten Harris-Talley as the temporary Council member to replace now-Mayor Tim Burgess. The selection caps a nearly month-long shuffling of chairs in the wake of the resignation of Ed Murray. The temporary Position 8 Council member will serve for about 7 weeks.

The choice came down to three finalists: Nick Licata, Abel Pacheco Jr., and Harris-Talley. Licata served on the Council between 1998 and 2015; Pacheco works at the University of Washington's Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity; and Harris-Talley is a South Seattle resident and program director at Progress Alliance of Washington.

Harris-Talley is a member of the group behind the Black and Tan Hall, a venue and restaurant in the Hillman City neighborhood. She is also said to be a Cary Moon supporter - she donated $50 to Moon's campaign in June. Harris-Talley's application is available to view here.

"I am overwhelmed, I'm excited, and most of all I'm ready to get to work," she said after taking the oath of office.

Harris-Talley acknowledged her term will be brief, but promised to prioritize issues such as reproductive justice and police accountability through the budget process.

Burgess became interim mayor on Sept. 18, taking over for Council President Bruce Harrell, who took over for Ed Murray, who resigned under a cloud of sex abuse allegations. A total of 16 people applied for the vacancy; two dropped out by Friday, however.

The three finalists divided the Council. Here's how the Council voted:

• Bruce Harrell - Harris-Talley
• Lorena Gonzalez - Harris-Talley
• Sally Bagshaw - Harris-Talley
• Lisa Herbold - Nick Licata
• Mike O'Brien - Harris-Talley
• Deborah Juarez - Abel Pacheco Jr.
• Kshama Sawant - Harris-Talley
• Rob Johnson - Abel Pacheco Jr.

As soon as King County certifies the election at the end of November either Jon Grant or Teresa Mosqueda will slide into the seat. But interim Council member is important because they get to have input and vote on the 2018 city budget.

You can view all of the candidates and their applications at the City Clerk's website.

Image via Seattle City Council