COUNTDOWN: Less than 1 week until our first forum for City Council District 1 candidates

(City of Seattle map showing District 1’s new boundaries)

We’re now just six days away from our first forum in the City Council District 1 race, next Tuesday (June 6), 6:45 pm (after a 6 pm neighborhood-info fair). Seven of the eight candidates have confirmed they’ll be there – in first-name alphabetical order:

Jean Iannelli Craciun
Maren Costa
Mia Jacobson
Phil Tavel
Preston Anderson
Rob Saka
Stephen Brown

You’re welcome to come see the candidates answer questions in person; the forum will be at Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Walmesley Center (northeast corner of 35th and Myrtle) – we’re video-recording it too so you can watch later if you can’t be there. Potential questions are welcome in advance; the District 1 Community Network, which is collaborating with WSB to present the forum, is asking its member organizations for question suggestions, and we’re asking you. Thanks to everyone who’s sent them so far; if you have one, please send it to our general email address, westseattleblog@gmail.com, and please indicate in the subject line that it’s a candidate-forum question. Primary election voting starts in just six weeks – ballots are scheduled to be mailed July 12th.

JEff May 31, 2023 (12:03 pm)

Go Rob Saka!!!!

Voters May 31, 2023 (1:01 pm)

Eventhough I live in W.Seattle, I gave my democracty vouchers to Tanya Woo (District 2) and to Olga Sagan(District 7), both are very active in their communities and have the experience. Hands On.I have never seen the Incumbents getting involve in their own communities.

Josh May 31, 2023 (4:17 pm)

Sagan does not even know that she accidentally voted in a local election once or that you don’t have to be on the city council to see the budget. They have no idea how laws get made or even what a tax is. They are a terrible candidate.

anonyme May 31, 2023 (1:31 pm)

The new boundaries for District 1 make no sense. These communities have little to nothing in common, making it likely that none of these neighborhoods will get the representation and focus they need.

CAM May 31, 2023 (11:09 pm)

Districting is based on population size in the different areas and trying to create districts with similar sizes. If you want West Seattle to be its own district, you should be encouraging population growth in West Seattle.

City Code: (https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=THCHSE_ARTIVLEDE_S2CICOME)
“District boundaries shall be drawn to produce compact and contiguous districts that are not gerrymandered. The population of the largest district shall exceed the population of the smallest by no more than one percent. To the extent practical, district boundaries shall follow existing District boundaries, recognized waterways and geographic boundaries, and Seattle communities and neighborhoods,” etc but everything is subservient to the districts being contiguous and of similar sizes.

State code: (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=44.05.090)
“In the redistricting plan: (1) Districts shall have a population as nearly equal as is practicable, excluding nonresident military personnel, based on the population reported in the federal decennial census as adjusted by RCW 44.05.140. (2) To the extent consistent with subsection (1) of this section the commission plan should, insofar as practical, accomplish the following,” etc. but you’ll note that #2 criteria are implemented “insofar as practical” while remaining consistent with #1.

mem May 31, 2023 (5:04 pm)

White Center is an unincorporated area NOT a part of Seattle. The residents of White Center cannot vote in Seattle City elections. Maps that include White Center as a part of District 1 are confusing to all.

WSB May 31, 2023 (5:06 pm)

It’s a city-generated map and I couldn’t find a good alternative (this one also omits some West Seattle neighborhoods – Seaview, Sunrise Heights, Puget Ridge, Pigeon Point among others), sorry.
1994 May 31, 2023 (11:22 pm)

My impression is that a small area north of Roxbury, which is located inside the city limits, is referred to as White Center….just a neighborhood designation but does not necessarily mean outside the city limit in unincorporated King County south of Roxbury…. all in all I thought it is a nice looking map! Could use a few more tree graphics or an owl or 2 :)

mem June 1, 2023 (7:48 pm)

1994- the area north of Roxbury is the Seattle neighborhood of South Delridge. It is NOT White Center! White Center is a unincorporated area of King County. The signage along the southern end of Delridge Way is extremely confusing for residents both new and old. There have been discussions concerning the misleading signage and all of it should be removed immediately.

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