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Girmay Zahilay
Girmay Zahilay is the King County Executive in Washington. Zahilay assumed office on November 25, 2025. Zahilay's current term ends in 2029.
Zahilay ran for election for King County Executive in Washington. Zahilay won in the general election on November 4, 2025.
Biography
Zahilay received a bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He served as a business attorney before founding Rising Leaders, Inc. in 2015, which was a mentorship nonprofit for low-income middle school students.[1][2]
Elections
2025
See also: Municipal elections in King County, Washington (2025)
General election
General election for King County Executive
Girmay Zahilay defeated Claudia Balducci in the general election for King County Executive on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Girmay Zahilay (Nonpartisan) | 53.2 | 258,558 |
 | Claudia Balducci (Nonpartisan) | 45.5 | 221,087 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.2 | 5,910 | ||
| Total votes: 485,555 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for King County Executive
The following candidates ran in the primary for King County Executive on August 5, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Girmay Zahilay (Nonpartisan) | 44.0 | 202,007 |
| ✔ | | Claudia Balducci (Nonpartisan) | 29.8 | 136,479 |
 | Derek Chartrand (Nonpartisan) | 11.5 | 52,626 | |
| John Wilson (Nonpartisan) | 8.1 | 37,109 | ||
| Rebecca Williamson (Nonpartisan) | 2.1 | 9,459 | ||
 | Amiya Ingram (Nonpartisan) | 1.8 | 8,353 | |
 | Bill Hirt (Nonpartisan) | 1.6 | 7,209 | |
 | Don Rivers (Nonpartisan) | 0.9 | 4,205 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 1,224 | ||
| Total votes: 458,671 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Zahilay received the following endorsements.
- Legis. District 1, Wash., Democratic Party
- Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates
- Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates of Washington
- Seattle Transit Riders Union
- Washington Conservation Action
- Washington Education Association
2023
See also: Municipal elections in King County, Washington (2023)
General election
General election for King County Council District 2
Incumbent Girmay Zahilay won election in the general election for King County Council District 2 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Girmay Zahilay (Nonpartisan) | 98.6 | 49,156 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.4 | 686 | ||
| Total votes: 49,842 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Girmay Zahilay advanced from the primary for King County Council District 2.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Zahilay in this election.
2019
See also: Municipal elections in King County, Washington (2019)
General election
General election for King County Council District 2
Girmay Zahilay defeated incumbent Larry Gossett in the general election for King County Council District 2 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Girmay Zahilay (Nonpartisan) | 60.4 | 44,250 |
| Larry Gossett (Nonpartisan) | 39.3 | 28,792 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 270 | ||
| Total votes: 73,312 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for King County Council District 2
Girmay Zahilay and incumbent Larry Gossett defeated Stan Lippmann in the primary for King County Council District 2 on August 6, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Girmay Zahilay (Nonpartisan) | 56.1 | 31,995 |
| ✔ | Larry Gossett (Nonpartisan) | 36.7 | 20,935 | |
 | Stan Lippmann (Nonpartisan) | 6.6 | 3,733 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.6 | 324 | ||
| Total votes: 56,987 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2025
Girmay Zahilay did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Other survey responses
Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Zahilay completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.
2023
Girmay Zahilay did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.
2019
Girmay Zahilay did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
King County Executive 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Larry Gossett |
King County Council District 2 2020-2025 |
Succeeded by Rhonda Lewis |
| |||||||||
