Washington State Senate

Summary

The Washington State Senate is the upper house of the Washington State Legislature. The body consists of 49 members, each representing a district with a population of nearly 160,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olympia.

Washington State Senate
Washington State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 9, 2023
Leadership
Denny Heck (D)
since January 13, 2021
President pro tempore
Karen Keiser (D)
since November 15, 2017
Majority Leader
Andy Billig (D)
since November 15, 2017
Minority Leader
John Braun (R)
since November 30, 2020
Structure
Seats49
Political groups
Majority Caucus
  •   Democratic (29)

Minority Caucus

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle II, Washington State Constitution
Salary$56,881/year + per diem [1]
Elections
Last election
November 8, 2022
(24 seats)
Next election
November 5, 2024
(25 seats)
RedistrictingWashington Redistricting Commission
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Washington State Capitol
Olympia, Washington
Website
Washington State Senate
Members of the Washington State Senate for the 68th Legislature

As with the lower House of Representatives, state senators serve without term limits, though senators serve four-year terms. Senators are elected from the same legislative districts as House members, with each district electing one senator and two representatives. Terms are staggered so that half the Senate is up for reelection every two years.

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the state senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.

Leadership edit

The state constitution allows both houses to write their own rules of procedure (article II, section 9) and to elect their own officers (article II, section 10) with the proviso that the lieutenant governor may preside in each house and has a deciding vote in the senate, but that the senate may choose a "temporary president" in the absence of the lieutenant governor. The prevailing two-party system has produced current senate rules to the effect that the President Pro Tempore is nominated by the majority party caucus and elected by the entire Senate.

Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck is constitutionally the President of the Senate. The current President Pro Tempore is Karen Keiser. The Majority leader is Democrat Andy Billig. The Minority Leader is Republican John Braun.

Composition edit

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
End of previous legislature 28 1 20 49 0
Begin 68th legislature 29 0 20 49 0
Latest voting share 59.2% 40.8%

Members (2023–2025, 68th Legislature) edit

District Senator Party Residence[2] Counties represented First elected Next election
1 Derek Stanford Democratic Maltby King (part), Snohomish (part) 2019† 2024
2 Jim McCune Republican Graham Pierce (part), Thurston (part) 2020 2024
3 Andy Billig Democratic Spokane Spokane (part) 2012 2024
4 Mike Padden Republican Spokane Valley Spokane (part) 2011^ 2024
5 Mark Mullet Democratic Issaquah King (part) 2012# 2024
6 Jeff Holy Republican Spokane Spokane (part) 2018 2026
7 Shelly Short Republican Addy Douglas (part), Ferry, Grant (part), Okanogan (part), Pend Oreille, Spokane (part), Stevens 2017† 2026
8 Matt Boehnke Republican Kennewick Benton (part), Franklin (part) 2022 2026
9 Mark Schoesler Republican Ritzville Adams (part), Asotin, Columbia, Franklin (part), Garfield, Lincoln, Spokane (part), Whitman 2004 2024
10 Ron Muzzall Republican Oak Harbor Island, Skagit (part), Snohomish (part) 2019† 2024
11 Bob Hasegawa Democratic Seattle King (part) 2012 2024
12 Brad Hawkins Republican East Wenatchee Chelan, Douglas (part), King (part), Snohomish (part) 2016 2024
13 Judy Warnick Republican Moses Lake Grant (part), Kittitas, Yakima (part) 2014 2026
14 Curtis King Republican Yakima Klickitat, Yakima (part) 2007^ 2024
15 Nikki Torres Republican Pasco Adams (part), Benton (part), Franklin (part), Grant (part), Yakima (part) 2022 2026
16 Perry Dozier Republican Waitsburg Benton (part), Walla Walla 2020 2024
17 Lynda Wilson Republican Vancouver Clark (part), Skamania 2016 2024
18 Ann Rivers Republican La Center Clark (part) 2012† 2024
19 Jeff Wilson Republican Longview Cowlitz (part), Grays Harbor (part), Lewis (part), Pacific, Thurston (part), Wahkiakum 2020 2024
20 John Braun Republican Centralia Clark (part), Cowlitz (part), Lewis (part), Thurston (part) 2012 2024
21 Marko Liias Democratic Lynnwood Snohomish (part) 2014† 2026
22 Sam Hunt Democratic Olympia Thurston (part) 2016 2024
23 Drew Hansen Democratic Bainbridge Island Kitsap (part) 2023† 2024
24 Kevin Van De Wege Democratic Sequim Clallam, Grays Harbor (part), Jefferson 2016 2024
25 Chris Gildon Republican Puyallup Pierce (part) 2020 2024
26 Emily Randall Democratic Bremerton Kitsap (part), Pierce (part) 2018 2026
27 Yasmin Trudeau Democratic Tacoma Pierce (part) 2021† 2024
28 T'wina Nobles Democratic Fircrest Pierce (part) 2020 2024
29 Steve Conway Democratic Tacoma Pierce (part) 2010 2026
30 Claire Wilson Democratic Auburn King (part) 2018 2026
31 Phil Fortunato Republican Auburn King (part), Pierce (part) 2017† 2026
32 Jesse Salomon Democratic Shoreline King (part), Snohomish (part) 2018 2026
33 Karen Keiser Democratic Des Moines King (part) 2001† 2026
34 Joe Nguyen Democratic White Center King (part) 2018 2026
35 Drew MacEwen Republican Union Kitsap (part), Mason, Thurston (part) 2022 2026
36 Noel Frame Democratic Seattle King (part) 2022 2026
37 Rebecca Saldaña Democratic Seattle King (part) 2016† 2026
38 June Robinson Democratic Everett Snohomish (part) 2020† 2026
39 Keith Wagoner Republican Sedro-Woolley Skagit (part), Snohomish (part) 2018† 2024
40 Liz Lovelett Democratic Anacortes San Juan, Skagit (part), Whatcom (part) 2019† 2024
41 Lisa Wellman Democratic Mercer Island King (part) 2016 2024
42 Sharon Shewmake Democratic Bellingham Whatcom (part) 2022# 2026
43 Jamie Pedersen Democratic Seattle King (part) 2013† 2026
44 John Lovick Democratic Mill Creek Snohomish (part) 2021† 2026
45 Manka Dhingra Democratic Redmond King (part) 2017^ 2026
46 Javier Valdez Democratic Seattle King (part) 2022 2026
47 Claudia Kauffman Democratic Kent King (part) 2022 2026
48 Patty Kuderer Democratic Bellevue King (part) 2017† 2026
49 Annette Cleveland Democratic Vancouver Clark (part) 2012 2024
† Originally appointed
^ Originally elected in special election
# Sworn in early to fill vacant seat

Past composition of the Senate edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Salary Information | Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials". salaries.wa.gov.
  2. ^ "Voter's Pamphlet, Washington State Elections, November 2, 2021" (PDF). Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved December 10, 2021.

External links edit

  • Washington State Senate
  • Map of Legislative Districts

47°02′09″N 122°54′16″W / 47.0358°N 122.9045°W / 47.0358; -122.9045