The Sammamish City Council unanimously elected Bob Keller as its 2017 deputy mayor at its first meeting of the year on Tuesday at City Hall.

Keller, who was nominated by Councilmember Tom Odell, was one of two candidates nominated for deputy mayor. Councilmember Christie Malchow was nominated by Councilmember Tom Hornish.

The council held separate votes for each candidate, with Malchow falling one vote shy of a majority, receiving votes from Hornish and Councilmember Ramiro Valderrama, the previous deputy mayor.

Hornish praised both Malchow and Keller, though he added he preferred that the next deputy mayor not be up for election at the same time as the mayor. Keller’s council term ends this year, along with the terms for Sammamish Mayor Don Gerend, Councilmember Kathy Huckabay and Odell.

“I think it might be best to have the mayor and deputy mayor not be … up for election at the same time,” Hornish said.

Odell commented the council was faced with “two really good candidates.” He stated his vote came down to Keller’s three years of experience on the council, as well as his previous work on the city’s Planning Advisory Board and Planning Commission.

Huckabay also cited experience in her support for Keller.

“I think Christie Malchow is an excellent candidate,” Huckabay said. “I would like to see another year or so of experience before she would be elected as deputy mayor. I think next year will be a wonderful opportunity for that for her.”

Keller ran unopposed for the City Council Position No. 3 in 2013. Malchow recently completed her first year on the council after being elected in November 2015.

After the vote, Odell and Keller took a moment to thank Valderrama for his service to the city as deputy mayor.

“I think your contribution to this city will go down in the history of the city as being one of the better ones,” Odell said. “I want to thank you for all you’ve done.”

“I hope that I can put the energy and enthusiasm into the deputy mayor’s position as much as you did,” Keller said.