Tim Burgess served as mayor from September 18 to November 28, 2017. He took office after Ed Murray resigned and City Council President Bruce Harrell, who had been automatically appointed after the resignation, decided to complete his term on council rather than finishing out the mayoral term. Burgess's term as "accidental mayor" lasted 71 days, until the November election results were certified and Jenny Durkan was sworn in. Before this, he had served on City Council for ten years beginning in 2008.

Burgess was born and raised in Seattle, growing up in Capitol Hill and attending Lincoln High School and the University of Washington. While in college he began working as a journalist for radio station KJR, where he covered police corruption, among other topics. He then joined the Seattle Police Department, serving at different times as a patrolman, detective, and press aide. After leaving the police department, Burgess worked for anti-poverty organization World Concern, and later started Burgess & Associates, an advertising agency. Outside of work, he was chair of the Queen Anne Community Council, and also served for 12 years on Seattle's Ethics and Elections Commission. He defeated David Della in the 2007 City Council race and took office at the beginning of 2008. During his tenure on council, he focused on police issues, preschool, public safety, and the city's finances, among other topics.