The Seattle City Council has selected John Okamoto to fill the vacant seat (Pos. 9) previously held by Sally J. Clark, who resigned on April 12 to pursue other career interests. Okamoto will take office effective immediately and his first Full Council meeting as a seated Seattle City Councilmember will be May 4, 2015.
Okamoto joins the Council following decades of service to the public. He has run 3 different cabinet departments for the City of Seattle, most recently as Interim Director of the Human Services Department in 2014-2015. From 2008 to 2014, he served as Executive Director of the Washington Education Association, an 82,000 member professional education organization.
“I’m humbled and honored by this opportunity and welcome this new challenge,” said Okamoto. “I’ve invested my working life making this City better, and I intend to continue that work in this new position as Seattle City Councilmember.”
Council President Tim Burgess said, “I have complete confidence in Councilmember Okamoto’s ability to serve the people of Seattle faithfully and diligently. His breadth and depth of experience with City government, his understanding of the legislative process and public policy, and his long record of public service prepare him well for the role of councilmember. I am honored to call him a colleague.”
Okamoto has pledged that he will not seek election to the City Council this November. He will serve as Councilmember until King County Elections certifies the November General Election results on November 24, 2015, at which point the winner of the General Election for Position 9 will take office.
Okamoto lives in the Seward Park neighborhood with his wife Sharon. His children Charissa and Shawna and their families live nearby. His joy is his three grandchildren.
