Alexis Mercedes Rinck Sworn Into Seattle City Council

On Tuesday, Dec. 3, Seattle's newest councilmember, Alexis Mercedes Rinck, was formally sworn into office at City Hall. Rinck defeated incumbent Tanya Woo for the citywide Position 8 seat in November on a more progressive platform, campaigning on policies like progressive revenue, affordable housing, and alternative models for crime intervention.

Rinck, who called her citywide seat the "people's office," spoke on the importance of protecting the city amid the incoming presidential administration.

"My family fled El Salvador during the Civil War, carrying nothing but hope and determination across borders. On the other side of my family tree, my ancestors left Poland to escape religious persecution, driven by that same yearning for freedom that has helped so many to these shores," Rinck said. "And when I think of their journeys, the midnight crossings, the whispered prayers, the dreams they carry, I'm reminded that for millions of Americans, the promise of this nation isn't just an idea — it's a lifeline."

Rinck will serve as the vice chair of the City Council's Libraries, Education & Neighborhoods Committee, which in part works with the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. Rinck said she's looking to be as proactive as possible in protecting immigrants and refugees and is working actively with immigrant justice leaders.

Rinck will also be the chair of the Sustainability, City Light, Arts & Culture Committee to work on the city's environmental goals.

"I'm also thinking about ways that we can expand our tree canopy, especially in urban heat islands which fall disproportionately in South Seattle," Rinck said. "When we're talking about true environmental justice, we also are thinking about climate resilience, in which communities quite literally will [have] cooler temperatures because we've invested in protected tree canopy. I'm thinking about things like how we expand pocket gardens, how we also have more arborists in the city that care for our trees and do active planting work in areas throughout South Seattle and particularly in communities of color."

Additionally, Rinck will be a member of the Housing and Human Services Committee, and said she's looking to increase the supply of housing and subsidize more housing. She's expecting people to be moving to Washington to seek political refuge and said that Seattle needs to have the housing supply to support that as well as meaningful connections through transit. Rinck is also prioritizing anti-displacement strategies to ensure that Black and Brown communities aren't being displaced.

On her first day, Rinck sponsored and passed two walk-on amendments to the city's 2025 state legislative agenda. The first amendment states the council's intent to pursue new progressive revenue before raising taxes for the working class; it passed 5 to 1, with three abstentions.

The second amendment adjusted language to increase funding for Washington's Housing Trust Fund and other housing programs, with Rinck stating that they can expect federal funds to decrease in the coming years. It passed 6 to 0, with three abstentions.

Rinck seemed to hit the ground running with her first two amendments passing, but as of this morning she lost a key partner on the dais with the resignation of Tammy Morales from her District 2 seat as of Jan. 6. Morales was often the lone progressive vote among a more moderate council, and she was the only councilmember that endorsed Rinck during her campaign. Now, Rinck may take Morales's place as the lone progressive on a council comprising moderate members.