Nilu Jenks led the first unofficial returns in the Seattle City Council District 5 primary with 6,580 votes, or 49.7 percent, followed by Julie Kang with 4,817 votes, or 36.4 percent. Dimitri Georgakopoulos and Silas James trailed behind at 8.9 and 4.8 percent. Under the top-two primary, Jenks and Kang are on track to advance to the November 3 general election.
The seat opened when Cathy Moore, elected in 2023, resigned last year citing health and personal reasons. Debora Juarez was appointed as caretaker. The November winner serves only through 2027 and must run again next year for a full term.
Jenks is political and partnerships director at FairVote Washington and ran for the same seat in 2023. Kang is an education director at Seattle University. Both live in the district, which stretches from Aurora Avenue and Bitter Lake through Northgate to Lake City, and each raised about $107,000.
Public safety dominated the race despite falling shootings in the district. Kang backs expanded surveillance cameras and stay-out orders on Aurora, while Jenks questions who could access that footage and doubts large police hiring targets. King County Elections continues counting through the week.
