The King County Council on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 voted to appoint De’Sean Quinn to fill the District 5 council seat vacated when Dave Upthegrove was elected as Washington State Lands Commissioner.
Quinn was selected to fill Upthegrove’s seat over former State Senator Karen Keiser and former KC Councilmember and legislator Julia Patterson.
Quinn is a current Tukwila City Councilmember who has served in that role since 2008. He is also a King County employee, working as assistant general manager of Partnerships and Strategies for King County Metro. He will resign both these positions before he is sworn in as a King County Councilmember. Quinn also previously served as community relations manager for former Executive Ron Sims, as council relations director, and as regional relations manager under Executive Dow Constantine.
“I am thrilled to welcome our new colleague, Councilmember De’Sean Quinn to the King County Council! With his strong, steady leadership and deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our region, he’s ready to hit the ground running,” said King County Council Chair Girmay Zahilay. “Together, I look forward to partnering on the critical issues impacting South King County, ensuring that workers and families have the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference, and I’m eager to partner in creating a stronger more prosperous feature for our communities.”
District 5 represents the cities of Renton, Kent, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Normandy Park. Quinn will serve until the results of the November general election are certified.
Why was a person from Tukwila chosen to represent Renton, Kent, Normandy Park, and SeaTac on the King County Council? Surely there were competent men and women from these great cities.