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Jean Godden

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Jean Godden
Jean Godden, 2011
Member of the Seattle City Council for Position 1
In office
January 5, 2004 – January 4, 2016
Preceded byJudy Nicastro
Succeeded byRob Johnson
Personal details
Born (1931-10-01) October 1, 1931 (age 93)
Political partyDemocratic
ChildrenJeff and Glenn (sons)
ResidenceSeattle, WA
EducationUniversity of Washington (BA)
OccupationSeattle City Councilmember (Position 1)

Jean H. Godden (born October 10, 1931) is a former member of the Seattle City Council from 2004 - 2016. Her local fame is due to her award-winning column in The Seattle Times newspaper, which she gave up to run for City Council.[1][failed verification]

Early life and education

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Born in Connecticut, Godden's family moved many times before she graduated from high school in Virginia due to her father's job as a surveyor.[citation needed]

After two Seattle school levies failed and her son's kindergarten class disappeared, Godden and other parents mobilized, and she became PTA president. Godden then joined the League of Women Voters, Citizens Against Freeways, the Municipal League, and the United Way, where she helped to organize the Lake City Community Council, wrote its bylaws and served as one of its first directors.[2]

In the late 1960s, Seattle Mayor Wes Uhlman appointed Godden to his charter review committee and the City's Board of Adjustment.[citation needed]

Godden received her bachelor's degree in editorial journalism from the University of Washington in 1973 and was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Journalism career

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Godden attained celebrity status in Seattle as a columnist for both daily newspapers, first for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and most recently for The Seattle Times. Godden reached that status after years of working in other positions with the paper, including as a business editor, editorial page editor, real estate and urban affairs reporter, and restaurant critic.[2] Godden attended Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism before eventually graduating from the University of Washington's School of Communications.[3][4] She started her newspaper career at the University District Herald as a 19-year-old, joined the P-I in 1974 as a temporary staffer, had her first column published in the P-I in 1983, and finally switched to The Seattle Times in 1991.[4]

Seattle City Council

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2003 election

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Godden announced she would run for Seattle City Council, running against incumbent Judy Nicastro, along with five other challengers.[5] In the September primary, Nicastro came in first with 25.16% of the vote, and after a recount, Godden came in second with 17.65%.[6][7]

In the general election, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels endorsed Godden, a rare move for a Seattle mayors.[8] Partially weighted down by the Strippergate (Seattle) scandal, Nicastro would lose reelection to Godden, 48% to 52%.[9]

2007 campaign

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In the August primary, Godden faced opposition from three challengers: Joe Szwaja, Lauren Briel, and Robert Sondheim. She significantly out-fundraised all of her opponents.[10] According to Seattle Ethics and Elections reports, Godden had raised $189,189 as of August 27. Her closest challenger, Szwaja, had raised just over $56,000; as of September 28, 2007, Godden had generated $200,375 in campaign funding.[11]

In the August 21 primary, Godden advanced to the general election, beating Szwaja by more than 30 percentage points.[12] In the general election, Godden won in a landslide against Szwaja, 71% to 29%.[13] After the election, Godden would pay a $150 fine to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission for using city resources to schedule campaign events. [4][14]

2011 election

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In August 2011, during the primary, Godden came in first against her three challengers, with 43% of the vote. [15] Bobby Forch, a project manager for Seattle Department of Transportation, came in second with 26% of the vote.[16][17] Godden would narrowly win the November General Election against Forch, 50.6% to 49.4%.[18]

2015 election

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In the election of 2015, for the first time, seven of the city council seats were decided by geographic representation. Godden was opposed in her race for the newly created District 4 seat by opponents Rob Johnson, a transit advocate, and Michael Maddux, a parks activist.[19] Godden conceded on August 6 after coming in third place, and Rob Johnson was eventually elected to the seat.[20][21] [22]

Tenure

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She chaired the Libraries, Utilities, and Center Committee and the Central Waterfront, Seawall, and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Committee. She was also Vice Chair of the Parks and Neighborhood Committee and a member of the Transportation Committee. Jean also was an alternate on the Parks and Seattle Center Committee.[23]

As chair of the Central Waterfront, Seawall, and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Committee, Godden supported the demolition and replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, stating that the waterfront would "...be active and vibrant, populated with parks, restaurants, and cultural amenities."[24] In an op-ed, Godden would state that the State Route 99 tunnel that would replace the viaduct would not go over budget, like Mayor Michael McGinn said it would.[25] [26] The tunnel project was originally budgeted for $3.1 billion, but would go over budget by $223 million.[27]

As chair of the Utilities Committee, she passed legislation to cut rates for senior and low-income customers, and increased taxes on Seattle City Light to get its debt under control without cutting services.[4]

Personal life

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After leaving city council, Godden continued to write articles, contributing to sites such as Westside Seattle and PostAlley.com.[4][28] She also hosted an interview radio show called "The Bridge" with fellow former city councilmember Sue Donaldson, which is on hiatus due to the pandemic.[4][29]

Godden has two sons, Glenn and Jeff, and two grandsons, Chris Godden and Matthew Godden, and one great-grandson and three great-granddaughters, Joshua Godden, Raevyn Godden, Calla Godden, and Sloane Godden. She resides in Seattle's View Ridge neighborhood.[30]

Electoral history

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2003 Seattle City Council, Pos. 1 Primary election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Judy Nicastro (Incumbent) 28,958 25.16%
Nonpartisan Jean Godden 20,317 17.65%
Nonpartisan Robert Rosencrantz 20,142 17.50%
Nonpartisan Darryl Smith 13,607 11.82%
Nonpartisan Art Skolnik 8,049 6.99%
Nonpartisan David Ferguson 4,567 3.97%
2003 Seattle City Council, Pos. 1 General election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Judy Nicastro(Incumbent) 58,353 47.74%
Nonpartisan Jean Godden 63,867 52.25%
2007 Seattle City Council, Pos. 1 Primary election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Jean Godden (Incumbent) 37,658 51.96%
Nonpartisan Joe Szwaja 15,781 21.78%
Nonpartisan Lauren Briel 9,695 13.38%
Nonpartisan Robert Sondheim 9,058 12.50%
2007 Seattle City Council, Pos. 1 General election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Jean Godden (Incumbent) 96,530 71.49%
Nonpartisan Joe Szwaja 38,479 28.5%
2011 Seattle City Council, Pos. 1 Primary election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Jean Godden (Incumbent) 53,216 43.34%
Nonpartisan Bobby Forch 32,027 26.08%
Nonpartisan Maurice Classen 21,188 17.25%
Nonpartisan Michael Taylor-Judd 15,599 12.70%
Nonpartisan Write-In 765 0.62%
2011 Seattle City Council, Pos. 1 General election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Jean Godden (Incumbent) 84,124 50.62%
Nonpartisan Bobby Forch 82,060 49.37%
2015 Seattle City Council, District 4 Primary election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Rob Johnson 5,516 32.84%
Nonpartisan Michael Maddux 4,138 24.64%
Nonpartisan Jean Godden (Incumbent) 3,307 19.69%
Nonpartisan Tony Provine 2,372 14.12%
Nonpartisan Abel Pacheco 1,416 8.43%
Nonpartisan Write-In 46 0.27%

References

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  1. ^ Beekman, Daniel (August 6, 2015). "City Councilmember Jean Godden concedes". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  2. ^ a b MULADY, KATHY (October 28, 2003). "Jean Godden: Ex-columnist has history of activism". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  3. ^ "Jean Godden Subject Files, 2004-2015". Archive West. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Farr, Sheila (July 22, 2020). "Godden, Jean (b. 1931)". HistoryLink. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  5. ^ "Jean vs. Judy". The Stranger. September 25, 2003. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  6. ^ "Primary Official Results". King County Elections. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  7. ^ "2003 Primary Recount Results". King County Elections.
  8. ^ Mulady, Kathy (October 8, 2003). "Godden gets Nickels' backing". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  9. ^ "General and Special Elections". King County Elections. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  10. ^ Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission http://www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/ethics/eldata/filings/campaignhome.asp?elcycle=el07a&campuni=82
  11. ^ Angela Galloway, Seattle PI, "Strange Bedfellows", September 28, 2007.
  12. ^ King County Election Results https://web.archive.org/web/20080724015815/http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/200708/resPage8.htm
  13. ^ "General and Special Elections". King County Elections. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Staff (May 6, 2008). "Godden to pay $150 on election complaint". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  15. ^ "Official Final Primary and Special Election results". King County Election results. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  16. ^ "Official Final Primary and Special Election results". King County Election results. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  17. ^ Madrid, Cienna (November 2, 2011). "Why We Endorch Bobby Forch". The Stranger. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "General and Special Elections". King County Elections. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  19. ^ Stang, John (August 4, 2015). "Jean Godden's City Council career in peril". Crosscut.com. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  20. ^ Seattle Times "City Councilmember Jean Godden Concedes", August 6, 2015.
  21. ^ "Seattle Councilmember Jean Godden Concedes it's over", August 6, 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Results" (PDF). King County Election. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  23. ^ Seattle City Council Website http://www.seattle.gov/council/godden/ Archived February 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ "Seattle City Councilmembers join regional partners in launching next phase of Alaskan Way Viaduct tunneling project". Seattle City Council. June 6, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  25. ^ Cohen, Josh (April 5, 2017). "Remembering broken promises about Bertha". Curbed Seattle. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  26. ^ Godden, Jean (July 28, 2010). "McGinn is engaged in textbook manipulation about tunnel". Crosscut.com. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  27. ^ King 5 Staff (July 21, 2016). "Seattle tunnel project $223 million over budget". KING 5 News. Retrieved August 23, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ "Jean Godden". Post Alley. PostAlley. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  29. ^ Godden, Jean (May 15, 2024). "Micro-casting Radio: SPACE101 for the Community". Post Alley. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  30. ^ "People for Jean Godden". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
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