Washington State Senate
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 140,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olympia.
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 two representatives but only one senator.
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
The Lieutenant Governor of Washington serves as the President of the Senate, but only casts a vote if required to break a tie. In his or her absence, the President Pro Tempore presides over the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the entire Senate through a Senate Resolution. The President Pro Tempore is the chief leadership position in the Senate. The other Senate leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.
The current President of the Senate is Brad Owen. The current President Pro Tempore is Pam Roach, who was narrowly elected in 2014 ousting former President Pro Tempore Tim Sheldon. The Majority leader is Republican Mark Schoesler, who assumed office following the retirement of Majority Coalition Caucus founder Rodney Tom in 2014, and the Minority Leader is Sharon Nelson, a Democrat who has been serving as her party's Senate leader since Seattle Mayor Ed Murray was elected to his current office.
Composition
Affiliation |
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total |
|
|
|
Coalition |
Non-coalition |
|
|
|
Republican |
Democratic |
Vacant |
End of previous legislature |
24 |
2 |
23 |
49 |
0 |
|
Begin |
25 |
1 |
23 |
49 |
0 |
Latest voting share |
7001530000000000000♠53% |
7001470000000000000♠47% |
|
Members (2015–2017, 64th Legislature)
District |
Senator |
Party |
Residence |
Counties Represented |
First elected |
1 | Rosemary McAuliffe | Democratic | Bothell | King (part), Snohomish (part) | 1992 |
2 | Randi Becker | Republican | Eatonville | Pierce (part), Thurston (part) | 2008 |
3 | Andy Billig | Democratic | Spokane | Spokane (part) | 2012 |
4 | Mike Padden | Republican | Spokane Valley | Spokane (part) | 2011^ |
5 | Mark Mullet | Democratic | Issaquah | King (part) | 2012# |
6 | Michael Baumgartner | Republican | Spokane | Spokane (part) | 2010 |
7 | Brian Dansel | Republican | Republic | Ferry, Okanogan (part), Pend Oreille, Spokane (part), Stevens | 2013^ |
8 | Sharon Brown | Republican | Kennewick | Benton (part) | 2013† |
9 | Mark Schoesler | Republican | Ritzville | Adams, Asotin, Franklin (part), Garfield, Spokane (part), Whitman | 2004 |
10 | Barbara Bailey | Republican | Oak Harbor | Island, Skagit (part), Snohomish (part) | 2012 |
11 | Bob Hasegawa | Democratic | Seattle | King (part) | 2012 |
12 | Linda Evans Parlette | Republican | Wenatchee | Chelan, Douglas, Grant (part), Okanogan (part) | 2000 |
13 | Judy Warnick | Republican | Moses Lake | Grant (part), Kittitas, Lincoln, Yakima (part) | 2014 |
14 | Curtis King | Republican | Yakima | Clark (part), Klickitat, Skamania, Yakima (part) | 2007^ |
15 | Jim Honeyford | Republican | Sunnyside | Yakima (part) | 1998 |
16 | Mike Hewitt | Republican | Walla Walla | Benton (part), Columbia, Franklin (part), Walla Walla | 2000 |
17 | Don Benton | Republican | Vancouver | Clark (part) | 1996# |
18 | Ann Rivers | Republican | La Center | Clark (part) | 2012† |
19 | Dean Takko | Democratic | Longview | Cowlitz (part), Grays Harbor (part), Lewis (part), Pacific, Wahkiakum | 2015† |
20 | John Braun | Republican | Centralia | Clark (part), Cowlitz (part), Lewis (part), Thurston (part) | 2012 |
21 | Marko Liias | Democratic | Everett | Snohomish (part) | 2014† |
22 | Karen Fraser | Democratic | Olympia | Thurston (part) | 1992 |
23 | Christine Rolfes | Democratic | Bainbridge Island | Kitsap (part) | 2010† |
24 | James Hargrove | Democratic | Hoquiam | Clallam, Grays Harbor (part), Jefferson | 1992 |
25 | Bruce Dammeier | Republican | Puyallup | Pierce (part) | 2012 |
26 | Jan Angel | Republican | Port Orchard | Kitsap (part), Pierce (part) | 2013^ |
27 | Jeannie Darneille | Democratic | Tacoma | Pierce (part) | 2012 |
28 | Steve O'Ban | Republican | Tacoma | Pierce (part) | 2013† |
29 | Steve Conway | Democratic | Tacoma | Pierce (part) | 2010 |
30 | Mark Miloscia | Republican | Federal Way | King (part), Pierce (part) | 2014 |
31 | Pam Roach | Republican | Sumner | King (part), Pierce (part) | 1990 |
32 | Maralyn Chase | Democratic | Edmonds | King (part), Snohomish (part) | 2010 |
33 | Karen Keiser | Democratic | Des Moines | King (part) | 2001† |
34 | Sharon Nelson | Democratic | Vashon | King (part) | 2010# |
35 | Tim Sheldon | Democratic (MCC) | Potlatch | Kitsap (part), Mason, Thurston (part) | 1997^ |
36 | Reuven Carlyle | Democratic | Seattle | King (part) | 2016† |
37 | Pramila Jayapal | Democratic | Seattle | King (part) | 2014 |
38 | John McCoy | Democratic | Tulalip | Snohomish (part) | 2013† |
39 | Kirk Pearson | Republican | Monroe | King (part), Skagit (part), Snohomish (part) | 2012 |
40 | Kevin Ranker | Democratic | Orcas Island | San Juan, Skagit (part), Whatcom (part) | 2008 |
41 | Steve Litzow | Republican | Mercer Island | King (part) | 2010^ |
42 | Doug Ericksen | Republican | Ferndale | Whatcom (part) | 2010 |
43 | Jamie Pedersen | Democratic | Seattle | King (part) | 2013† |
44 | Steve Hobbs | Democratic | Lake Stevens | Snohomish (part) | 2006 |
45 | Andy Hill | Republican | Redmond | King (part) | 2010 |
46 | David Frockt | Democratic | Seattle | King (part) | 2011† |
47 | Joe Fain | Republican | Auburn | King (part) | 2010 |
48 | Cyrus Habib | Democratic | Kirkland | King (part) | 2014 |
49 | Annette Cleveland | Democratic | Vancouver | Clark (part) | 2012 |
- †Originally Appointed
- ^Originally Elected in Special Election
- #Sworn in early to fill vacant seat
See also
References
External links
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Coordinates: 47°02′09″N 122°54′16″W / 47.0358°N 122.9045°W / 47.0358; -122.9045