Richard Conlin was elected to the Seattle City Council in November 1997 and reelected in 2001 and 2005. He has been selected by his colleagues to serve as Council President for 2008-2009.

In his first term, he chaired the Council's Neighborhoods, Sustainability, and Community Development Committee, whose key mission was to move 37 neighborhood plans through Council approval. The successful completion of the Neighborhood Planning Program was a key step in Seattle’s implementation of Washington’s Growth Management Act.

In his second term, Conlin served as Chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee. He worked on implementing the region’s plan for improved transit, developing new funding sources for transportation maintenance and neighborhood transportation improvements, and supporting pedestrian and bicycle improvements to reduce dependence on the automobile.