Will the city council be able to find a replacement for Sally Clark whos equally capable of talking forever without actually committing to a policy position?
Who will replace Sally Clark? The list just got shorter. City of Seattle

A former council member, an outspoken housing advocate, and the economic development chair of the Seattle King County NAACP are among the eight finalists the Seattle City Council selected today in their search to replace Sally Clark, who left the council on April 12 to take a job at the University of Washington.

The finalists are:

Jan Drago: City council member from 1994 to 2009 (including stints as council president and budget chair); King County Council member for a partial term in 2010.

Noel Frame: Outgoing director of Progressive Majority Washington; ran for a house seat representing the 36th District in 2012 against Port of Seattle commissioner Gael Tarleton.

Sharon Lee: Executive director of the Low Income Housing Institute; served on the mayor's task force on unsheltered homelessness; member of citizen group that recently laid out a suggested template of policies for the Housing Affordability and Livability Committee.

Sharon Maeda: Former director of 21 Progress; almost got the seat back in 2006 when Clark was appointed.

David Moseley: Former assistant secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation's ferries division; former city manager of Federal Way and Ellensburg.

John Okamoto: Former director of the Washington Education Association; led the city's human resources and engineering departments in the '90s; recently served as interim director of the city's Human Services Department.

Sheley Secrest: Former president and current economic development chair of the Seattle King County NAACP; currently a policy analyst for the Metropolitan Urban League of Seattle.

Alec Stephens: Retired civil rights lawyer; worked from 1997 to 2014 in diversity programs at Sound Transit.

Council President Tim Burgess has said he's looking for an "experienced caretaker" who isn't planning on running for a council seat this fall, so it's not too surprising some experienced bureaucrats made the short list. But Clark chaired the council's housing affordability committee—and her replacement may take up that role, too—so expect some council members to push for an advocate with experience in that area. Last week, the council got 44 applicants for the seat (later narrowed to 43 when former council member Peter Steinbrueck withdrew his application).

Want to hear from the finalists? Of course you do! Head to council chambers Friday at 4 p.m. (or watch online). They'll each get three minutes to present and the public will get a chance to comment. Then, next Monday, April 27, at 2 p.m., the full council will decide who gets the job.