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Hudson was selected in a 5-0-1 vote after the council interviewed four finalists to fill the vacant Position No. 2 seat.
After interviewing four finalists Monday evening, the Burien City Council voted to appoint former City Council candidate Patricia Hudson to fill the vacant Position No. 2 seat left by the resignation of Linda Akey.
The vote was 5-0-1 , with five councilmembers voting in favor, none opposed, and Councilmember Alex Andrade abstaining, saying Hudson was not her top choice. Councilmember Kevin Schilling acknowledged she also was not his preferred candidate but joined the majority in support of the appointment.
Fourteen residents applied before the June 26 deadline. On July 13, the council narrowed the field to five finalists, although Torrance Dixon withdrew before Monday's interviews. The remaining candidates were Hudson, Jacques Colon, Jessica Ivey and former Councilmember Krystal Marx.
Hudson previously ran for City Council against Schilling.
Her appointment expands the council's 4-3 majority into a 5-2 majority, creating a larger progressive governing bloc. During her campaign, she took positions generally consistent with that coalition, and her professional experience includes serving as Director of Human Resources and Operations for SEIU 775, one of Washington's largest labor unions.
Public Records Request Pending
The appointment process also raised questions about transparency.
The July 27 agenda packet included the applications submitted by the finalists, but it did not include some supporting materials referenced in those applications, including letters of recommendation.
Before the council made its appointment, a Burien resident submitted a public records request seeking the missing documents. As of publication, the city has not responded to that request.
Hudson is expected to be sworn in during the council's Aug. 6 study session, a recent addition to the council calendar.
Under Washington law, appointed councilmembers serve until a successor is elected and qualified. For this vacancy, voters will decide who completes the remainder of the unexpired term in the November 2027 General Election. Hudson will be eligible to run for the seat if she chooses.
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