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Local government directory
Seattle, WA: council, meetings and contacts
Seattle is the 18th largest city in the United States with about 784,777 residents, in King. Here is who governs it, when they meet in public, and where the agendas are posted.
City government at a glance
- Form of government
- Mayor-council
- Governing body
- Seattle City Council — 9 members
- Regular meetings
- Tuesdays, 2:00 p.m., Council Chamber, Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave., Floor 2
- City Hall
- 600 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104
- Main information line
- (206) 684-2489
- Population (2025 est.)
- 784,777 (2020 census: 737,015)
- County
- King
- Planning body
- Seattle Planning Commission
Seven district seats and two citywide at-large positions.
Official links
- Seattle official website
- Seattle City Council
- Agendas, minutes and meeting video
- King County Council
- Seattle Public Schools
The bodies that decide things in Seattle
| Body | What it decides | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle City Council | Ordinances, the city budget, zoning changes, contracts, police and fire funding | Official page |
| King County Council | County budget, sheriff and jail, public health, elections administration, county roads | County website |
| Seattle Public Schools board | School budget, boundaries, calendar, curriculum adoption, superintendent | District website |
| Seattle Planning Commission | Rezonings, site plans, variances and long-range land use recommendations | City website |
Questions people ask about Seattle government
When does the Seattle City Council meet?
Tuesdays, 2:00 p.m., Council Chamber, Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave., Floor 2 Always confirm the date and location on the official agenda before you attend, because meetings can be cancelled, moved or continued.
How do I contact Seattle city government?
The main information line is (206) 684-2489. City Hall is at 600 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104, and the official website is https://www.seattle.gov.
How do I speak at a Seattle public meeting?
Find the agenda for the meeting, check the sign-up deadline (many cities close the list before the meeting starts), prepare remarks for the posted time limit — usually two or three minutes — and state your name, your district and your specific ask.
No debates for Seattle yet. If something is on the council agenda — a rezoning, a fee increase, a transit change — open the first debate and invite both sides.
Start here if you are new to this
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