Definitions
Seattle Mun. Code § 4.16.030
in effect4.16.030 - Definitions
As used in this Chapter 4.16:
"Ad hoc advisory committee" means: 1) any advisory committee expressly designated by ordinance as "ad hoc"; or 2) any advisory committee created by means other than by federal or state law, City Charter, or City ordinance, including by resolution, executive order, or other similar action.
"Administrator" means the Executive Director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.
"Advisory committee" means a committee, board, commission or other similar City entity that does not have the authority to enact, administer, interpret, or execute City laws, but does provide advice or recommendations to a City entity that does have such authority.
"Appointing authority" means a person authorized by ordinance or Charter to employ others on behalf of the City, usually the head of a department. With reference to a City contractor it is the person who is authorized to award the contract.
"Assist" means to act, or offer or agree to act, in such a way as to help, aid, advise, furnish information to, or otherwise provide assistance to another person, believing that the action is of help, aid, advice, or assistance to the person and with intent so to assist such person.
"Ballot proposition" has the same meaning as in Section 2.04.010.
"Candidate" has the same meaning as in Section 2.04.010.
"City" means The City of Seattle.
"City agency" means every department, office, board, commission, or committee of the City, or any subdivision thereof, but excludes public corporations and ad hoc advisory committees.
"City contractor" means an individual who spends more than 1,000 hours in any twelve-month period providing services to a City agency under a contract, other than a contract of employment.
"City employee" means every individual appointed to a position of employment in any City agency.
"City officer" means every individual elected or appointed to an office in any City agency, whether such individual is paid or unpaid.
"City volunteer" means someone who volunteers services to the City.
"Commission" means the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission established by Section 3.70.010.
"Communicate," for the purposes of SMC 4.16.075, means to communicate in any form, including, without limitation, personally, through another person, by letter, by electronic mail, or by telephone.
"Confidential Information" means (i) specific information, rather than generalized knowledge, that is not available to a person who files a public records request, and (ii) information made confidential by law.
"Covered Individual" means any City officer, City employee, City contractor or City volunteer. Covered Individual also includes every individual who was a City officer, City employee, City contractor or City volunteer at the time of the act or omission that is alleged to have violated this chapter, even if he or she no longer has that status.
"Elected official" has the same meaning as in Section 2.04.010.
"Election campaign" means any campaign in support of or in opposition to a candidate for election to public office of the City and any campaign in support of or in opposition to a City ballot proposition.
"Employee member of an advisory committee" means a paid City officer or employee who serves on an advisory committee by virtue of their paid position with the City.
"Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission or designee.
"Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.
"Immediate family," except for the purposes of Section 4.16.080, means a spouse or domestic partner, child, child of a spouse or domestic partner, sibling, sibling of a spouse or domestic partner, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, parent, parent of a spouse or domestic partner, a person for whom the Covered Individual is a legal guardian, or a person claimed as a dependent on the Covered Individual's most recently filed federal income tax return.
"Legislative matter" means any enacted or introduced Council Bill, ordinance, resolution, Clerk File, ballot proposition, or Charter amendment. A legislative matter may include a possible future Council Bill, ordinance, resolution, Clerk File, ballot proposition, or Charter amendment, if the possible future matter has been discussed on the public record at an open public meeting of the City Council or one of its committees.
"Matter" means an application, submission, request for a ruling or other determination, permit, contract, claim, proceeding, case, decision, rulemaking, legislation, or other similar action. Matter includes the preparation, consideration, discussion, or enactment of administrative rules or legislation. Matter does not include advice or recommendations regarding broad policies and goals.
"Participate" means to consider, investigate, advise, recommend, approve, disapprove, decide, or take other similar action.
"Person" means an individual, association, corporation, or other legal entity.
"Political consultant" means a person that provides compensated political consulting services to: an elected official; a candidate for City office; or the authorized campaign committee registered with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission for a City ballot proposition. "Political consultant" does not include: a City employee; an accountant, attorney, pollster, or professional fundraiser who provides only accounting, legal, polling, or fundraising services, respectively; or a vendor or sub-vendor who supplies goods or services other than political consulting services for an election campaign.
"Political consulting services" means compensated actions in City campaign management and political strategy services, including but not limited to: advocacy and strategy; political polling; advising or assisting in voter contact strategies and services; advising in media strategy, buying, and advertisement; providing candidate development, policy training, political image consulting, and designing, implementing, and analyzing polls and surveys; performing issues research and opposition research; developing and assisting in strategic communication such as news releases, talking points, and speech writing; and advising on negative information handling and political crisis management.
"Proceeding" means a matter that involves a named party or parties in which a City agency administers, interprets, or executes City laws. Proceeding does not include the preparation, consideration, discussion, or enactment of administrative rules or legislation.
"Quarter" has the meaning as in Section 2.06.010.
(Ord. 127379, § 2, 2025; Ord. 125589, § 1, 2018; Ord. 123264, § 1, 2010; Ord. 123010, §§ 2, 8, 2009; Ord. 122242, § 1, 2006; Ord. 118735 §§ 1, 2, 1997; Ord. 116377, § 4, 1992; Ord. 116005, § 8, 1991; Ord. 115552, § 1, 1991; Ord. 109950, § 1, 1981; Ord. 108882 § 4.16.030, 1980.)
Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT4PE_CH4.16COET_4.16.030DEFetched: 11/1/2026