The Council has empaneled a Blue-Ribbon Committee to evaluate four candidates to fill the vacancy in the office. The panel will meet Wednesday evening on May 13 in the Chinook Building. The County Council is set to formally interview candidates and potentially make an appointment as soon as May 18.
Voters last November adopted King County Charter Amendment 8 to make the offices of Executive, Council and Assessor nonpartisan. These offices became nonpartisan on December 5, 2008, ten days after certification of the election.
This change to the charter removes the role played in years past by the political parties, which would submit names of potential candidates to the County Council for consideration. The change to nonpartisan office also removes any timeline by which the Council must act to appoint.
Under the amended charter the only requirement for an appointee is the same as that for any countywide office: that the candidate be at least 21 years of age, a U.S. citizen, and a resident and registered voter in King County.