The Seattle City Council voted 7–1 on Monday to appoint former Council President Debora Juarez to replace Cathy Moore, who resigned earlier this month citing health challenges. Juarez will serve until November 2026, when voters will decide who will complete the term through 2027.

Juarez, a member of the Blackfeet Nation and the first Native American elected to the council, previously represented District 5 after winning elections in 2015 and 2019. She said she does not plan to seek the seat again, calling her return to the council more emotional than her earlier campaigns.

The council selected Juarez from a pool of 22 applicants narrowed to six finalists, with only one other finalist, Nilu Jenks, receiving a vote. She will assume Moore’s committee roles, including chairing the Housing and Human Services Committee, as the council faces a $200 million budget deficit and prepares a new Comprehensive Plan.

District 5 covers north Seattle neighborhoods including Lake City, Bitter Lake, Maple Leaf, and Northgate.