Bellevue City Councilmember John Stokes has announced his decision to step down from his Position 1 seat, with his resignation taking effect on May 2, 2025. Stokes shared the news during a City Council meeting, citing his decision to relocate to Ballard to be closer to his daughter and newly born granddaughter.
Originally elected to the council in 2011, Stokes served for more than a decade, including two years as mayor in 2016 and 2017. He has been a consistent advocate for education, the arts, and environmental sustainability.
His civic involvement includes serving on the King County Eastrail Advisory Council, the Cascade Water Alliance, and the King Conservation District Advisory Committee, among other local initiatives. He also co-founded Eastside Pathways, a nonprofit focused on supporting youth development.
“My intent when I ran for a fourth term was to serve through the end of 2027,” Stokes said in an emotional farewell. “But life changes. I’ll miss Bellevue—its people, its places, and especially those in this room.”
Mayor Lynne Robinson praised Stokes’ leadership, acknowledging the difficulty of saying goodbye. “It’s hard when you’re a good leader to step down, but you certainly have a valid reason,” she said.
To fill the vacancy, the council will consider finalists who were recently interviewed during the selection process for Councilmember Janice Zahn’s replacement. Zahn left her Position 5 seat after being appointed to the Washington State Legislature. Claire Sumadiwirya was recently sworn into that role.
The four remaining candidates from that selection process—Vishal Bhargava, Eric Drever, Diala Ezzeddine, and Jaskaran Singh Sarao—will be reviewed again in an executive session on April 15. The appointee will serve in Position 1 until the November 2025 General Election is certified.
This fall’s election will include five of the council’s seven seats: Positions 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. The winners for Positions 1 and 5 will serve out the remainder of the current terms, which run through December 31, 2027.
Bellevue’s City Council members are elected at large and serve four-year terms. To be eligible, candidates must reside in Bellevue and be registered voters.
