King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay was officially sworn into office on Weds., Jan. 8 and attended his first meeting as a member of the King County Council.
At the meeting, the council unanimously elected Councilmember Claudia Balducci as chair during its first full meeting of 2020 as a part of a reorganization motion, which also re-appointed Reagan Dunn and appointed Joe McDermott as vice chairs. The motion also set in place a new committee structure that councilmembers hope will foster transparency and create a forum where all nine members collaborate. Zahilay was named chair of the Law & Justice committee.
Zahilay, 32, defeated long-time King County Councilmember Larry Gossett in the 2019 General Election. He is the son of Ethiopians refugees, an attorney and non-profit founder who says that his life experiences have shaped his desire to pursue public service and fight for his poor and working-class neighbors.
Zahilay now represents District 2. It includes Seattle’s Central area, Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, the Rainier Valley, Seward Park, Skyway, UW, Fremont, Ravenna, and Laurelhurst.
