Constantine opened a private law practice in 1990.[4] He served as chair of the 34th District Democrats organization and worked as an aide for King County Council member Greg Nickels. Constantine was elected to the state house of representatives in 1996.[5] He won re-election in 1998.[6] In 2001, he became a Washington state senator. He left the state senate in 2002 after being appointed to the King County Council to replace Nickels, who had been elected Seattle mayor.[5] Constantine was a King County Council member from 2002 to 2009, representing the eighth district, which includes West Seattle, parts of Southeast Seattle, North Highline, Burien, Vashon Island, Maury Island, Normandy Park, and parts of both SeaTac and Tukwila.[6] In 2009, he served as council chair.
Constantine received press attention for stressing the conservative affiliations of Hutchison, pointing to her involvement with the Discovery Institute and contributions to Republican candidates such as President Bush in 2004 and Mike Huckabee in 2008.[13][14][15] Hutchison downplayed any perceived partisanship and criticized Constantine as a political insider with close ties to labor unions.[4]
In October 2009, the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) investigated allegations that the Constantine's campaign illegally coordinated with an independent campaign on anti-Hutchison ads.[16] The PDC concluded there was no coordination and dismissed the complaint.[17] The PDC also investigated complaints regarding Hutchison's campaign on allegations that campaign contributions exceeded single election limits and that expenditures by the campaign were not properly documented.[18] The PDC imposed a $100 fine against Hutchison for exceeding campaign limits and dismissed the failure-to-report allegations.[19]
Constantine acknowledges crowd applause after taking the oath of office as King County Executive.
On election night, November 3, the initial batch of election results had Constantine winning the election over Hutchison, at that time receiving 57% to her 43%.[23] He was expected to replace interim Executive Kurt Triplett on November 24 following the certification of election results by the King County Elections' Canvassing Board.[24] Constantine was ultimately declared the winner, and was inaugurated November 24, 2009.
In early 2019, Constantine was mentioned as a possible candidate for governor of Washington in the 2020 election. Two-term incumbent Jay Inslee was constitutionally eligible for to run for a third term but had opted to mount a campaign for president of the United States in the 2020 election instead, leaving the governor's office open.[25][26] Several Democrats expressed interest in running should it be an open election but did not want to challenge Inslee.[27] Facing poor polling numbers, Inslee decided to suspend his presidential campaign on August 21 and announced the next day he would indeed seek a third term as governor. Constantine, along with several other potential candidates, released a statement that he would not be running in 2020 and would instead focus on his own 2021 reelection campaign.[28]
King County Executive
Constantine is the longest-serving county executive in King County history. During his tenure, he has been a member of the Sound Transit Board and chaired the board at multiple times, including during the development of the Sound Transit 3 ballot initiative, which passed in 2016.[29][30]
In October 2012, Constantine signed legislation supporting a proposed new arena designed to woo an NBA team back to Seattle.[31] In April 2013, he supported the proposed arena’s lead investor in his effort to purchase the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle as the SuperSonics.[32]
In November 2015, Constantine declared a state of emergency about homelessness.[33] Homelessness has continued to be a serious issue in King County years after the emergency declaration.[34]
Constantine was the subject of a 2018 whistleblower complaint alleging he pressured a county director to award a contract to a company owned by one of his friends.[35]
In September 2019, Constantine publicly proposed the creation of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.[36]
In March 2020, Constantine announced the King County Jail would no longer book many misdemeanors and probation violations.[37]
In November 2020, Constantine expressed excitement that the King County Sheriff would be appointed instead of elected.[38]
Constantine was re-elected to a fourth term in 2021 with 55% of the vote against general-election opponent Joe Nguyen, a state senator.[39][40]
In August 2022, Constantine’s director of communications released a statement implying South King County mayors concerned about crime were “clinging to obsolete practices and mindsets that no longer keep our communities safe.”[41]
In October 2022, Constantine cancelled an expansion of a homeless shelter following protests by people with a stake in Seattle’s Chinatown International District.[42] Constantine was criticized for his reaction the previous month when asked about the shelter at a press conference.[43]
In January 2024, Constantine announced King County’s youth detention facility would not close under the timeline he previously proposed.[44] Later that year, the County Council voted to keep the facility open against Constantine’s wishes.[45]
In June 2024, Constantine claimed during his State of the County address that “the cause of the homelessness phenomenon is not individual challenges, but housing market failure.”[46]
In July 2024, Constantine criticized elected officials in the City of Seattle who raised issues with the limitations on bookings he had instituted at the King County Jail more than four years prior.[47] In November of that year, Constantine announced the booking restrictions would be lifted.[48]
Constantine announced in November 2024 that he would not run for re-election as King County Executive once his term expires in 2025.[30]
In December 2024, Constantine defended his approach to addressing homelessness.[49]
Personal life
Constantine married Shirley Carlson on October 31, 2013.[50] The couple met while working at the University of Washington radio station.[13] They live in North Admiral, Seattle.[51][52]
Prior to marrying Carlson, Constantine had a relationship with another woman at the same time he was in a relationship with Carlson.[53][54]
Notes
^The office of King County Executive is nonpartisan, but Constantine identifies as a member of the Democratic Party.
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