A progressive advocate, Jenks led the nonprofit FairVote Washington, which fought for the ranked-choice voting reform that is going into effect in Seattle municipal elections next year. She also ran for city council in 2023 and finished third in the primary, trailing centrist Cathy Moore and ChrisTiana ObeySumner, whom The Stranger endorsed. The Urbanist Elections Committee (on which I serve) endorsed Jenks in that 2023 race and again in 2026.

After victory became apparent Tuesday, Jenks told The Urbanist that safety-focused designs of Aurora Avenue N and Lake City Way were among her top priorities. Aurora has a $50 million state grant earmarked for it, but state lawmakers like Seattle Rep. Julia Reed have grown impatient with the slow pace of getting the project shovel-ready.

"I would love to get the money allocated for Aurora moving and actually really get more, so that we can make Aurora a place that everybody gets to enjoy from bikers and walkers, and have good dedicated bus lanes, but also so that you can go to those businesses along there that deserve our support," Jenks said. "I also want to get similar funds for Lake City Way. It's another area where a lot of people get hit, and you know, it's not safe for pedestrians."