Nilu Jenks wins Seattle council seat in blowout

Progressive candidate Nilu Jenks won a Seattle City Council seat after building a substantial lead on election night. The Urbanist reported that she secured a decisive 17-point lead during the race to represent northern Seattle voters.

Jenks ran in the special election to fill the final year of the term formerly held by former councilmember Cathy Moore in District 5. Throughout her campaign, she focused on urbanist goals, community-based public safety solutions, expanding housing affordability, and supporting working families across the district.

She faced off against Julie Kang, a local banker and educator of 32 years who pledged to advocate for neighborhood priorities and work closely with city leadership. Election results showed Jenks running up a commanding margin over her opponent as initial returns came in from across the district.

As a first-generation Iranian-American, Jenks graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Economics and Spanish. She previously worked as the political and partnerships director at FairVote Washington, focusing heavily on election reform and community advocacy in the region.

Her platform earned endorsements from prominent local figures, including Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. Jenks previously campaigned for the District 5 seat in 2023, where she worked to elevate conversations about local representation, sustainability, and the role of municipal government.

Her current victory establishes her official position on the council representing North Seattle residents. Jenks laid out her urbanist-minded goals in a victory speech following the release of the election night returns.

The special general election concluded on November 3, 2026. Ballots continued to be processed and tabulated by local election workers in the days following the close of voting across King County.