City & town

Seattle City Council

District 5, Unexpired 1-year term

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The nine-member city council (seven district seats, two citywide) adopts Seattle's budget and ordinances and sets city tax rates.

Candidates Compare by issue

Nilu Jenks

No party listed

Political and Partnerships Director, FairVote Washington

The gist

Pledges 1,000 new affordable housing units in District 5.
Pledges successful ranked choice voting implementation in 2027.
Pledges to prioritize sidewalk construction in District 5.
Supports a fully funded 24/7 CARE Department for crisis calls.
Supports community violence intervention programs.
Supports sanctuary policies barring aid to federal deportations.
Supports grocery stores and food co-ops in food deserts.

More about Nilu

View sources (1)

Pledges 1,000 new affordable housing units in District 5.
Platform
Campaign website · Neighbors for Nilu · neighborsfornilu.org
“Nilu Jenks will champion the creation of 1,000 new units of affordable housing in her district”
Pledges successful ranked choice voting implementation in 2027.
Platform
Campaign website · Neighbors for Nilu · neighborsfornilu.org
“She will ensure Seattle successfully implements Ranked Choice Voting in 2027”
Pledges to prioritize sidewalk construction in District 5.
Platform
Campaign website · Neighbors for Nilu · neighborsfornilu.org
“Nilu will make sidewalk construction a top priority, especially in District 5.”
Supports a fully funded 24/7 CARE Department for crisis calls.
Platform
Campaign website · Neighbors for Nilu · neighborsfornilu.org
“a fully funded CARE Department responding 24/7 to behavioral health calls”
Supports community violence intervention programs.
Platform
Campaign website · Neighbors for Nilu · neighborsfornilu.org
“She will invest in community violence intervention programs”
Supports sanctuary policies barring aid to federal deportations.
Platform
Campaign website · Neighbors for Nilu · neighborsfornilu.org
“Nilu will fight for robust sanctuary policies that ensure local resources are never used to support federal mass deportation efforts.”
Supports grocery stores and food co-ops in food deserts.
Platform
Campaign website · Neighbors for Nilu · neighborsfornilu.org
“supporting local grocery stores, community-owned food co-ops, and expanding farmers markets”

Julie Kang

No party listed

Director and faculty, Seattle University and University of Washington

The gist

Supports rebuilding police staffing and a second District 5 precinct.
Supports the Stay Out of Area Prostitution zone on Aurora.
Proposes shortening the city's permit review process.
Proposes moving away from Mandatory Housing Affordability fees.
Supports on-demand substance use disorder treatment.
Pledges district offices on Aurora Avenue and in Lake City.
Supports keeping Seattle a sanctuary city.

More about Julie

View sources (2)

Supports rebuilding police staffing and a second District 5 precinct.
Priorities
Campaign website · Julie Kang for Seattle City Council · julieforseattle.com
“Building back Seattle Police Department staffing levels and moving forward with a second police precinct in District 5.”
Supports the Stay Out of Area Prostitution zone on Aurora.
Priorities
Campaign website · Julie Kang for Seattle City Council · julieforseattle.com
“including the Stay Out of Area Prostitution (SOAP) zone along Aurora Ave. N.”
Proposes shortening the city's permit review process.
Priorities
Campaign website · Julie Kang for Seattle City Council · julieforseattle.com
“Fixing our broken permitting system. That starts with shortening the permit review process”
Proposes moving away from Mandatory Housing Affordability fees.
Priorities
Campaign website · Julie Kang for Seattle City Council · julieforseattle.com
“Moving away from the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) framework, which is a tax on desperately needed housing.”
Supports on-demand substance use disorder treatment.
Priorities
Campaign website · Julie Kang for Seattle City Council · julieforseattle.com
“Expanding access to on-demand substance use disorder treatment”
Pledges district offices on Aurora Avenue and in Lake City.
Candidate statement, Online Voters' Guide, November 3, 2026 General Election
Provided by the campaign · Washington Secretary of State (statement written by the candidate) · voter.votewa.gov
“setting up district offices on Aurora Ave and Lake City to increase accessibility to resources”
Supports keeping Seattle a sanctuary city.
Priorities
Campaign website · Julie Kang for Seattle City Council · julieforseattle.com
“Our city must maintain its status as a Sanctuary City”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 6 issues covered in this race.