(The Center Square) – Dave Upthegrove has been selected by his peers to take over as chair of King County Council in 2023.
The annual reorganization motion by the council on Dec. 13 has Councilmembers Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Reagan Dunn being selected as vice chairs for the council. Incumbent Council Chair Claudia Balducci had held the position for the past three years during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Upthegrove is in his third term as a King County councilmember. He has represented South King County’s District 5 since 2014.
The transition to chair of the council will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. Upthegrove said his goal as chair is to show that democracy can benefit the county and improve the quality of life for all residents.
“My priority will be to support and strengthen our democratic institutions and demonstrate that democracy can work,” Upthegrove said in a statement. “Our guiding value will be respect. This means respect for one another, for our exceptional staff and for the people we serve.”
The South King County native began his political career as a representative of the Washington 33rd District in the State House of Representatives from 2002 to 2013. During his tenure, he chaired the Environment Committee in which he worked to create the Puget Sound Partnership to restore the region’s ecosystem and shut down Washington state’s last coal plant.
Since becoming a councilmember, Upthegrove has championed initiatives such as the Best Start for Kids Levy and the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy.
