Lorena Gonzalez bids farewell as tenure on Seattle City Council winds to a close
Dec 31, 2021, 12:36 PM | Updated: 12:38 pm
Former Seattle Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez. (Ted Warren / AP News)
(Ted Warren / AP News)
Seattle City Councilmember Lorena Gonzalez is leaving office at the start of the new year after five years on the dais in city hall.
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Gonzalez opted not to run for re-election to her Position 9 at-large council position in favor of a mayoral campaign. She made it out of the August primary along with Bruce Harrell, before losing to him by a 59% to 41% margin in the November general election.
Gonzalez released a statement on her final day office, describing how it “has been an honor and pleasure” to have worked with community members and various non-profit organizations. She went on to tout a series of policy wins over her tenure, including paid family leave, expanded childcare, legal aid for immigrants, and “reframing the conversation on police reform and accountability.”
“All of this was doable because of our collaborative work every day to realize a more just and equitable Seattle for all,” she described.
With Gonzalez leaving, that also leaves a vacancy for council president. Generally, the position — which councilmembers vote on themselves — goes to a longer-tenured member. Bruce Harrell served as council president after eight years on the dais, while Gonzalez was appointed after five. As of now, Kshama Sawant is the longest tenured city councilmember at eight years as of 2022, followed by Lisa Herbold and Debora Juarez at six years each, and Teresa Mosqueda at five years.
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Taking her place will be incoming Councilmember and Fremont Brewery co-founder Sara Nelson, who defeated challenger Nikkita Oliver by a 54% to 49% margin.
Nelson touted her win as a sign that “the political landscape has shifted” in Seattle.
“Voters rejected the far left agenda and its ‘us versus them’ rhetoric in favor of an inclusive, pragmatic approach to our challenges,” she told KIRO Radio’s Gee & Ursula Show in November.
Gonzalez had served on city council since 2016, and was appointed council president following Harrell’s departure in 2019. She has not yet indicated what her plans for the future are. Prior to her time in city hall, she worked as a civil rights litigator.
