Council to Put On Its Choosin' Face

98 people have applied for the vacant seat on the Seattle City Council.

There are former council members, former candidates, local activists, sportos, motor heads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, but sadly, no Richard Lee.

Tomorrow the council will give each candidate three minutes to state their case. The meeting is expected to last six hours, so if you're TiVoing the Seattle Channel make sure you have allotted for extra time.

The council will then call 12 of the applicants back for more in-depth interviews on January 19th. From that group, six will be chosen, and the first of those candidates to get a majority of five votes will represent your wishes, hopes and dreams for the city of Seattle. Or, more likely, not.

This format reminded the P-I and one of the candidates of a certain TV show: "It feels a little like episode one of 'Survivor -- City Hall' reality television with an actual purpose, which makes this a little different," [candidate] Kate Mortenson said."

Comparing this process to reality TV without the TV part, have we really fallen this far as a people?

Also, could we suggest that the P-I update their cultural references, turn off their TVs, read more books, and take a crash course in journalistic writing? And not necessarily in that order.

If all goes according to plan, the new council member will be sworn in February 6th ... and immediately begin fundraising for the fall special election.