Girmay Zahilay was sworn in as King County Executive Wednesday, making him the youngest person ever to hold the position in the county’s history at age 38, and immediately signalling ambitious plans to restructure county government operations and address longstanding challenges including addiction, affordability, and employee workplace policies.
The ceremonial oath-taking held particular symbolic significance, as Zahilay asked young people in a room filled with approximately 200 friends, family members, and political supporters to come stand behind him as he took the oath of office, deliberately creating what he characterised as a youth movement reflecting his generational perspective and commitment to representing communities often excluded from power.
Zahilay chose to hold the ceremonial swearing-in in the New Holly neighbourhood in South Seattle where he spent considerable time during his youth, a location laden with personal meaning for the son of Ethiopian refugees who lived in public housing before obtaining his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Zahilay has consistently discussed his immigrant and working-class background throughout his political career, first when he campaigned successfully for a King County Council seat, and subsequently during his campaign to become County Executive, using his personal narrative to connect with voters facing economic struggles and to demonstrate that government leadership positions can be accessible to people from non-traditional backgrounds.
He spoke in ambitious terms during his inaugural address, with his wife Joyce and young daughter Jazzy seated just off stage, outlining a vision centred on four “principal” ideas including “Breaking the Cycle” of addiction, “Building for Affordability”, “Better Government”, and “Boots on the Ground”, a framework he promises will guide his administration’s priorities.
Whilst Zahilay discussed the first two priorities extensively during his campaign for executive, he quickly pivoted after being sworn in to address the latter two concepts, including potential significant restructuring and layoffs within his new administration that could reshape county government operations.
“We’re going to restructure the office,” Zahilay stated matter-of-factly immediately following the oath ceremony. “I’m going to restructure the office, and people will be invited to apply for the newly structured positions. The office is going to completely change,” he added, indicating wholesale organisational transformation rather than incremental adjustments.
Zahilay has previously indicated the County will adopt a new approach to remote work policies, citing the need for “boots on the ground” rather than continuing pandemic-era arrangements that allow extensive telework. He has stated in previous interviews that he believes county employees should return to office settings at least three days weekly, a position that will likely generate controversy amongst workers who have adapted to remote and hybrid arrangements over the past several years.
Whilst not all of King County’s approximately 18,000 employees work in downtown Seattle offices, the remote work question has been a persistent point of contention since the pandemic began, with implications extending beyond employee preferences to affect downtown business viability. Entire county office buildings have sat largely empty during business hours, and the dramatic reduction in foot traffic has created severe challenges for businesses ranging from the Chinatown International District to the central business core that depend on office worker customers.
During his roughly hour-long inaugural event that preceded an official swearing-in ceremony at the King County Council chambers, Zahilay received welcomes from multiple community members who spoke to his character and the significance of his election.
Cynthia Green, who has lived in Seattle for 80 years with half that time spent in South Seattle, spoke directly to Zahilay from the stage, stating “You stand for what so many of us wish we could stand for. Step into your courage,” offering both encouragement and challenge to the new executive.
Green elicited enthusiastic applause when she stated “I have seen enough leaders to know the difference between those who perform empathy and those who practice it,” drawing a distinction between politicians who merely express concern versus those who take meaningful action addressing community needs.
Zahilay indicated he will make his commitment to accessibility tangible by touring county food banks on Wednesday, demonstrating that he expects the Executive’s office to be more publicly accessible and engaged with frontline service providers and residents experiencing hardship rather than remaining isolated in government offices.
The new Executive, who described himself as the chief executive officer of the 12th largest county in the nation by population, acknowledged he is ready to be held accountable for delivering on campaign promises now that he has transitioned from candidate to officeholder.
“There is the campaigning, which is a year-long process of reaching voters and communicating my vision,” Zahilay stated. “Now I’m in the office where I have to implement that vision,” he added, recognising the fundamental difference between promising change and actually delivering results through government operations.
Green stated after the event that Zahilay will carry the symbolic weight of the young people who stood behind him during the ceremony, representing both inspiration and responsibility.
“I thought of as other young people see him, this will encourage them to think that maybe, right now, my family is struggling, and maybe we are on food stamps, and maybe we are in low income housing. But look at what he accomplished. If he accomplished that, then I can too,” Green stated, articulating the representation’s significance.
