Ed Prince to Run For Renton City Council

UPDATE: Ed Prince switched his bid from position 3 held by Marcie Palmer, who plans to seek re-election, to position 5, which is being vacated by King Parker.

The race for is heating up with a bid from Ed Prince for City Council position 3, which is currently held by two-term incumbent Marcie Palmer.

Prince's announcement, which came on Tuesday, marks the first contested seat on the Renton City Council for the 2011 election.

Palmer was elected to her current position in 2003 and serves on the Community Service, Transportation/Aviation, and Public Safety committees.

She confirmed Wednesday night that she plans to run for a third term.

Mayor Denis Law, and City Council members King Parker, Don Persson and Greg Taylor are also up for re-election this year. Persson and Taylor announced earlier this year that they will run for re-election; Parker remains undecided.

"I have some other irons in the fire," he said Thursday afternoon. "I love my city council job, but I just haven't decided whether I'll run again or not."

Prince is no stranger to the political scene. He dove into politics after accepting a job as a Legislative Aide to State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos in 2000.

“I went to work at the Legislature because I wanted to change how people are affected by their government,” said Prince in a news release. “I learned more in that first job about how government works, and what we can and should do to improve it, than I ever anticipated.

During this same time, Prince managed a $400,000 budget for the Commission on African American Affairs, where he worked to establish relationships with other state agencies, legislators and community organizations while advising the Governor and Legislature on current issues of concern to the African America community.

Afterwards, Prince accepted the position of Program Director for the Central Area Motivation Program in Seattle before joining the Seattle Neighborhood Group, where he currently works. 

Prince has the support of several key community members.

"Ed is more dedicated to helping improve communities than just about anyone I know,” said Director Pam Teal in a news release. “His work day is all about helping people, and when he clocks out, he comes home and gets in up to his elbows in Renton programs. He’ll be a stellar addition to the Council.” 

members King Parker and Rich Zwicker have also endorsed Prince.
Although politics and community issues are a large part of Prince's profession, they're also his hobby.

In 2008 Prince was chair of the Citizens for Renton Schools, he's a founding director and current President of “,” is a Renton Rotary member, and currently acts as the Board Chair of the Renton Planning Commission.

The Renton community — and its overall support for volunteerism, service and community pride — were a bring draw for Prince.

“I love this city”, said Ed. “Renton simply possesses a community spirit that other cities marvel at and envy. I learned the spirit and ethic of service at my Grandmother’s table, and no other community has the sense of service that Renton embodies.”

Ed’s campaign will focus on the improvement on the local economy; continued strengthening of Renton's Public Safety; local and regional 'quality of life' improvements as citizens are forced to do more with less; and to continue the City's partnership with the Renton School District and Renton Technical College to ensure student success and to support the local business community with qualified young employees.

Ed and his wife Meegan make their home in the Cascade neighborhood with their toddler son, Alex, and their two dogs Will and Kennedy. More information about his campaign can be found at www.EdPrince.com and on Facebook.

Prince will hold his campaign kickoff event at the on June 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.