Seattle City Council District 5 candidates clash on key issues

SEATTLE - Seattle District 5 voters are headed to the polls next month to fill a one-year special term on the City Council. The winner will take office for the shortened stint before the seat returns to the ballot again in 2027 for a full term.

With critical issues like public safety top of mind for North Seattle residents, candidates Nilu Jenks and Julie Kang are offering distinct perspectives on policing, technology, and city finances. Primary leader Nilu Jenks, a community advocate who has worked on election reform, holds the endorsement of Mayor Katie Wilson. She faces local banker Julie Kang, who promises to work with city leaders while standing up for neighborhood interests.

"When the policies fail for District 5, I'm not going to rubber stamp a proposal that's not serving the constituents in District 5," Kang said.

Public safety and police response

What they're saying:

As residents and business owners along Aurora Avenue struggle with crime, with some installing physical barriers to prevent it, both candidates agree on the need for public safety investments but differ sharply on tactics.

Kang supports bolstering officer ranks and utilizing enforcement tools like Stay Out of Area of Prostitution (SOAP) orders.

"I fully support restoring the number of officers we need," Kang said. "I also support we use the public safety cameras with ensuring that it is safe for all of the members and the rules we have such as SOAP."

Jenks rejects policies like SOAP as outdated and ineffective. Instead, she advocates for alternative response teams, increased staffing for investigations, and targeted police operations.

"We should bring alternative response teams to fill this gap," Jenks said. "We have this gap that we need to fill and I supported, I said, I support 1,200 police. I've said actively, I support hiring detectives and undercover work that we saw was very successful on Aurora."

Despite their differences on enforcement strategies, both candidates agree that sex workers along Aurora Avenue need housing and exit resources, while calling for increased accountability for johns and traffickers.

Debate over surveillance cameras

Local perspective:

The candidates also hold differing views on the expansion of public surveillance technology. Kang originally opposed CCTV expansion over federal immigration enforcement concerns, but changed her stance after reviewing local oversight rules.

"When we were fearing for ICE and not knowing how the cameras were used, I was against it," Kang said. "But I did my deep research, talked to the experts, and we have the safeguards to ensure that we have short retention plan. We also ensure that we are not sharing."

Jenks remains skeptical of expanding camera networks, raising concerns about privacy protections and emerging technology.

"I am very concerned about our cameras," Jenks said. "You know, we do not have the privacy regulations that we need and we see across the nation and across the world, that people are starting to overlay AI on it."

City budget and taxes

Dig deeper:

The debate extends to local governance, municipal spending, and taxation.

Jenks expressed support for restructuring the city's revenue sources to ease the burden on everyday residents.

"I am interested in progressive revenue, and so, that is basically shifting the burden," Jenks said.

In contrast, Kang argues that the city must focus on demonstrating return on investment before asking residents for additional tax dollars.

"We always make sure that every investment comes back with a return," Kang said.

Regardless of who wins the upcoming special election, both candidates plan to run again for the full four-year term in 2027.

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