Mercer Island City Councilwoman Tana Senn Expected to Fill State House Seat

Update: Mercer Island City Councilwoman Tana Senn could be appointed to represent the 41st District in the State House as soon as Monday, Sept. 9, according to a King County Council spokesperson.

The King County Council Committee of the Whole has scheduled a hearing for the three candidates on Sept. 4, offering them an opportunity for them to speak, and could move as soon as Monday, Sept. 9, to appoint the 41st District Democrats' top choice to replace former Rep. Marcie Maxwell (D-Renton).

"I believe it's with the intent that the council will act the very next Monday," he said.

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Original Post, Thursday, 11:45 a.m.: Officials expect Tana Senn to be appointed to former state Rep. Marcie Maxwell's seat after the Mercer Island City Councilwoman won the support of most of the 41st District Democratic precinct-committee officers Wednesday night.

The Metropolitan King County Council will decide Maxwell's interim replacement, but that body traditionally follows the local party's recommendation, said council spokesperson Al Sanders.

County council members will offer the three nominees an opportunity to speak during a regular session meeting in coming weeks, said Sanders, and a selection would likely be made in September.

The precinct-committee officers nominated three candidates, in ranked order, to the council. Besides Senn, the list includes Mercer Island party activist David Ellis and former Greater Seattle Business Association Vice President George Pieper.

The third and final ballot tally was Tana Senn 49, David Ellis 33.
Local and state officials have indicated that the State Legislature may convene for a special session to handle transportation funding, and the 41st District nominee would likely be seated by then. Maxwell resigned the seat in July to serve as Gov. Jay Inslee's Senior Education Policy Adviser for K-12.

The State House nominee will serve the remainder of Maxwell's term, which ends in 2014.

The 41st District includes southern Bellevue, Mercer Island, Newcastle and parts of Renton, Issaquah and Sammamish.