King County Council appoints Deshaun Quinn to fill District 5 vacancy

The Metropolitan King County Council on Jan. 28 appointed Tukwila City Council member Deshaun Quinn to fill the District 5 seat left vacant earlier this month, voting 7-0 with Council Member Mosqueda excused.

The appointment followed a combined public hearing and candidate interview process that included more than a dozen in-person and remote speakers and formal interviews of the three finalists nominated by King County Executive Dow Constantine: former state Senator Karen Kaiser, former King County Council member Julia Patterson, and Quinn. The council first moved to take up the appointment without committee referral; Vice Chair Rod D. Perry moved the motion to consider the item on the council floor, and Council Member Von Reichbauer offered the amendment inserting Quinn’s name before the final roll call.

Why it matters: The appointee will represent roughly the southern portion of King County through certification of the November 2025 election. Council members said they sought a candidate who could quickly step into committee work and help the council navigate a projected county budget shortfall and other regional issues in 2025.

Public comment and endorsements came before the interviews. Matthew Renner of Des Moines urged the council to postpone the appointment or select “none of the above,” saying the public had not had enough time to weigh in. Several speakers endorsed specific nominees: Mayor Thomas McLeod of Tukwila and Kathy Haugherty, a retired Tukwila city council member, urged support for Quinn; labor and retirement representatives and other community leaders voiced support for Karen Kaiser; others, including Beth Bazely of the King County Democrats, thanked the executive for presenting three qualified finalists.

The council conducted on-the-record interviews with each finalist. Kaiser emphasized her experience in the state Legislature representing overlapping parts of South King County and called for work on affordable housing, public safety, health equity and state-level cooperation on funding. Patterson outlined decades of local and regional service, urged careful prioritization given an expected $150 million budget shortfall, and highlighted experience shepherding county reforms. Quinn described his 20 years of King County service, his work at King County Metro and on the Tukwila City Council, and said he would be "all in" if appointed.

Council members asked all three whether they intended to run in the November election; Patterson and Kaiser said they would not run, while Quinn said family and personal considerations would determine his decision. Council Member Dan Carey later said he had a qualifying conversation with Quinn confirming Quinn’s intent not to run and to resign his Tukwila council seat and Metro employment if appointed.

Formal action: The council considered proposed motion 2025-0045 to appoint a candidate to the District 5 vacancy. Vice Chair Perry moved the motion onto the floor; Council Member Von Reichbauer moved an oral amendment inserting the name "Deshaun Quinn." The amendment passed by voice, and the amended motion passed on roll call, 7 ayes, 0 nos, with Council Member Mosqueda excused.

Next steps: Council members said Quinn must complete formal resignations from his Tukwila City Council seat and Metro position before taking the oath of office; the council did not swear him in immediately. The clerk will schedule a swearing-in once administrative steps are complete.

Votes at a glance: The amended motion to appoint Deshaun Quinn (proposed motion 2025-0045, as amended) passed on roll call 7-0 (Mosqueda excused).