The Snohomish County Council has appointed Democratic State Rep. Marko Liias to replace retired Democratic 21st District State Sen. Paull Shin and named state Hispanic Affairs Commission member Lillian Ortiz-Self to replace Liias in the House of Representatives.
The Council unanimously appointed Liias and Ortiz-Self Tuesday, with the appointments to last through the November election, when Liias plans to run for a full four-year term in the Senate and Ortiz-Self for a two-year term in the House.
The actions followed the Saturday votes of 21st District Democratic precinct committee officers that Democratic PCOs from around the County ratified later that day.
Following State law, the County Council filled the partisan vacancies from lists of three candidates nominated by the party of the official vacating the office.
In addition to Liias, the Council interviewed Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson and Edmonds City Councilman Strom Peterson for the Senate seat, although both said that they supported Liias and would not accept the appointment.
Democrats nominated Gregerson and Peterson on a second ballot Saturdayto fill the required three nominees after 21st District PCOs voted unanimously for Liias on the first ballot.
The Council appointed Ortiz-Self for the House position after also interviewing retired labor union official Darrell Chapman and Edmonds School Board President Susan Phillips.
Democratic 21st District PCOs gave Ortiz-Self 16 votes Saturday to 11 for Chapman and 1 for Phillips.
The County Council has four Democrats and one Republican.
The 21st District includes most of Edmonds, unincorporated areas north of Edmonds and Lynnwood, all of Mukilteo and part of south Everett.
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