Nilu Jenks | |
|---|---|
| Member-elect of Seattle City Council from the 5th district | |
| Preceded by | Debora Juarez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1979 (age 47) Oklahoma |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Wellesley College (BA) |
Nilu Jenks (born 1979) is an Iranian-American political activist and the council member-elect for the Seattle City Council District 5 position.
Jenks was born in Oklahoma in January 1979. Her parents immigrated from Iran to study in the United States before the Iranian revolution.
Jenks attended Wellesley College where she earned a BA in Economics and Spanish.
Jenks served as a board member of Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity (RARE) and as a PTA advocacy chair at John Rogers Elementary School. Most recently she has worked as the political and partnerships director at FairVote Washington.
Jenks ran for the District 5 position in the Seattle City Council in 2023 but came third in the primaries behind Cathy Moore and CrisTiana ObeySumner. She ran again in 2026 and received 58.5% of the vote in the November 3 general election vote count, compared to the 41.1% received by her opponent Julie Kang. Jenks emphasized street safety, cost of living, and stopping Trumpism in her campaign. Her win is expected to shift the balance of power on the council away from centrism and toward progressivism.
Jenks lives in Lake City with her husband and two teenagers.