More Seattle City Council turnover: Councilmember Cathy Moore resigning

Just announced via news release: District 5 (North Seattle) City Councilmember Cathy Moore is resigning. Most recently, she sponsored a controversial proposal to change city law to allow councilmembers to vote on matters in which they had a financial interest; last Friday, she withdrew it. Moore, a former King County Superior Court judge first elected in 2023, says she’s leaving “due to health and personal reasons.” Her last day will be July 7. This will be the third seat the council has had to fill by appointment in less than two years, after Teresa Mosqueda left Citywide Position 8 to run for King County Council and after Tammy Morales left the District 2 position.

FINALLY June 2, 2025 (3:50 pm)

After a day of terrible national headlines it’s at least relieving local reporting is delivering a crumb of good news. I truly hope Moore forever stays out of the public light. She’s been an embarrassment for this city.

Sure June 2, 2025 (4:03 pm)

I have some nice Alki parcels for sale I’ll let go for a nickel and a wish too.

I Johnson June 2, 2025 (6:08 pm)

This is deeply sad news for those who value a voice for Seattle as a forested city with character and history deserving of preservation. I value Moore’s steadfast principles in standing up to the movement to homogenize and densify the city— a movement she rightly saw through and identified as a developer-driven profit grab. She is a straight shooter with common sense and a huge fan base in her district. The proposed “ethics” legislation she opposed is a misguided attempt to prevent corruption that, in actuality, takes away the voices of the few council members with a real stake in the city. If small businesses or landlord council members cannot vote because they are considered part of the “self interested” — how is small business supposed to be represented in the business of the city council? Business, small or large, pays the business taxes and employs the people that pay the taxes that keep the city solvent.

Joe Z June 2, 2025 (9:08 pm)

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Nice try, Cathy.
Derek June 2, 2025 (10:37 pm)

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What? Real stake in the city? So we’re supposed to turn our heads to cronyism? Yeah NO. Real stake in the city is listening to workers and renters (the majority) and not someone trying to pass laws that favor themselves. Looking forward to voting Nelson out for similar reasons.
Derek June 2, 2025 (10:39 pm)

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Simple. They don’t represent the majority of the city. They have no stake if they aren’t like average wage workers and renters, who make up the majority. We should have policy that benefits the majority, not the wealthy few.
East Coast Cynic June 3, 2025 (5:43 am)

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Developer driven power grabs are good for any neighborhood but her neighborhood from what I could see.
Platypus June 3, 2025 (9:22 am)

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Government officials, at every levels, should be forced to disinvest from individual companies and stocks, including their own. It only encourages corruption. She can still be there, and vote from a place of knowledge based on past experience for small business, or she can make money from a business as a private citizen.

Marcus June 2, 2025 (6:49 pm)

I really do not know her politics or views yet I do not respect any politician who resigns during their term. To serve as an elected official is a privilege and even though I wish some politicians would resign, they are bound by their oath to serve their constituents who voted for them. Unless there are health issues or criminal behavior I think resigning is like taking your toys in a huff and just walking out the door. So immature to decided “I am not getting my way and I can do better else where”. There could be another storyline here but that is either non-existing or not reported.

Lauren June 2, 2025 (8:52 pm)

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She does cite health issues ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Whether or not the public believes that to be genuine is another matter.
Agree June 2, 2025 (10:34 pm)

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When I said similarly how disappointing and a waste of time and money everyone who supported Joe Nguyen who ended up leaving right after reelection because he got a cushy exec job. Wa politics are a joke if people can keep doing this.

Seattlite June 2, 2025 (8:58 pm)

“…controversial proposal to change city law to allow councilmembers to vote on matters in which they had a financial interest…” Moore’s proposal does not sound ethical in anyway, shape, or form.

Derek June 2, 2025 (10:33 pm)

She tried to rid the ethics code. Good riddance! This is a blessing! Hopefully they don’t appoint another Woo.

SixteenMonths June 3, 2025 (6:20 pm)

On a human level, I do hope that any health concerns impacting her decision are easily resolved. On a political level, the timing of her resignation is troubling. The current council is now empowered to appoint a replacement to serve a 16-month term. If Moore had decide to pull the trigger a couple of weeks ago (before the filing deadline), then her district voters would have had the opportunity to make their opinions known and elect their representative. Interested to see if the council continues with the precedent of appointing someone who previously ran against the member who stepped down (i.e. Mark Solomon for Morales and Woo (who ran against Morales) for Mosqueda)). That would mean the council would be choosing between ChrisTiana ObeySumner and Nilu Jenks (both progressives). Happy to take the bet that they will avoid both of these qualified candidates already vetted by the voters in favor of Tanya Woo 2.0.