Rosenbaum elected to serve as Mercer Island mayor

Published 6:00 pm Tuesday, January 6, 2026

David Rosenbaum will serve as Mercer Island’s new mayor.

Mercer Island City Councilmembers elected Rosenbaum, 7-0, as the head of council’s leadership at its Jan. 6 regular meeting. Daniel Becker was elected, 4-3 by roll call vote, to serve as deputy mayor. The pair will both serve two-year terms for 2026-2027.

Former deputy mayor Rosenbaum and former mayor Salim Nice both served a pair of two-year terms in those positions from 2022-2025. Nice chose not to file for re-election in November.

At the start of the meeting, the seven-member council voted amongst themselves to fill the two spots.

Rosenbaum and Becker were selected to serve in their positions after receiving nominations by fellow councilmember Lisa Anderl. There were no other nominations for mayor; for deputy mayor, councilmember Ted Weinberg nominated councilmember Craig Reynolds.

Prior to the mayor and deputy mayor elections, Becker, Weinberg and Anderl were sworn into their council positions after winning their seats in the Nov. 4 general election. Newly elected councilmember Julie Hsieh took her oath of office at council’s Dec. 2 regular meeting.

Rosenbaum told the Reporter that it is a true honor to serve as mayor.

“My family and I feel fortunate to live in such a wonderful place and to be part of this special community. I am humbled by the trust placed in me, and I promise to work to the best of my ability in service to all our neighbors,” he noted. “Over the next two years, I am confident that the city council will continue to focus on providing exceptional municipal services and building a strong foundation for future generations of Islanders.”

The mayor said that Islanders need to come together to find a long-term solution to ensure that the Mercer Island Police Department, Emergency Operations and Public Works teams — along with other crucial emergency services — are housed in the necessary facilities to maintain the highest levels of safety and service for the city.

Becker noted to the Reporter about taking the reins of his new position: “I am honored to be selected by my council peers to serve as deputy mayor. My focus now is helping the council work together as a cohesive, productive body to ensure Mercer Island remains a high-quality place to live. I’m excited about our city’s future and what we can accomplish together.”