The City of Tumwater City Council is currently seeking applicants for the Position No. 1 City Council seat that is being vacated by incoming Mayor Leatta Dahlhoff. Applications will be accepted until 12 p.m. on Dec. 22, 2025. Anyone who resides within Tumwater city limits can apply. 

The process of filing a vacant council position is broadly laid out in the RCWs. It is set forth that the City Council will appoint a qualified person to fill Position No. 1 until a qualified candidate is elected at the next election at which a member of the City Council would normally be elected.

The filing deadline will be Dec. 22, 2025. Candidates must submit a completed application with cover letter and a resume of no more than two pages to the Clerk’s Office by 12 p.m. via email. Late applications will not be accepted.

On Jan. 2, 2026, the candidates’ applications and supplemental information will be routed to the City Councilmembers and Mayor for review. All documents are public information. The number of candidates to be interviewed will be determined at the Jan. 6 Tumwater City Council meeting. 

Candidate interviews will be conducted at a special public meeting of the City Council on Jan. 10. Interview questions will be provided to the candidates at the meeting. Candidate interview scoring sheets will be handed out to the Council for optional use in ranking of the candidates (all documents are public information). After interviews are complete, the Council will confer about the candidates in open session.

The City Council will appoint a new Councilmember by formal motion at a special public meeting on Jan. 20 preceding the regular Council meeting. The Mayor may break a tie vote. The newly appointed Councilmember for Position No. 1 will be sworn in immediately following the appointment. The candidate selection will occur on Jan. 10 to accommodate signing the Oath of Office form by two parties prior to the ceremonial swearing in at the Jan. 20 Council meeting.

Online application

Paper application