Published March 19 2025
Sumadiwirya will be sworn in after seat is vacated March 28
The City Council Tuesday interviewed five candidates and unanimously appointed Claire Sumadiwirya to the council seat Councilmember Janice Zahn is expected to vacate on March 28.
Zahn announced her intention to resign from the council after being selected in January to represent the 41st Legislative District in the State House of Representatives.
During the process to recruit a replacement for Zahn’s Position 5 seat, 20 community members applied to fill the seat. The appointment term ends after certification of the November General Election later this year. The council narrowed the field to five candidates at its March 11 meeting. The five finalists were Sumadiwirya, Vishal Bhargava, Eric Drever, Diala Ezzeddine and Jaskaran Singh Sarao.
Sumadiwirya has lived in Bellevue for more than 30 years and owns a small business downtown. She is also involved in several local nonprofits and boards. During the interview she said her priorities included public safety, education, sustainable growth and quality of life.
In her letter of interest, Sumadiwirya said her interest in serving on the council “represents a commitment to collaborative leadership that will elevate Bellevue's standing as a global city, while ensuring our growth is rooted in strong local support and inclusive community processes.”
The ballot for the 2025 General Election will include the Position 5 seat, along with Positions 2, 4 and 6, which were already up for re-election this year. The councilmember elected for Position 5 in this year’s race would be sworn in once the election is certified by King County Elections and serve through Councilmember Zahn’s original term date of Dec. 31, 2027.
Bellevue operates under a council-manager form of government, with the council selecting a city manager who oversees all city operations. The council is made up of seven members elected at large who serve staggered four-year terms. The councilmembers, in turn, select a mayor and deputy mayor from among themselves.
To serve on the council, community members interested in running in the next election must have lived in Bellevue for at least a year prior to the election and be a registered voter.
For more information, visit City Council.