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Washington State Senate

Coordinates: 47°02′09″N 122°54′16″W / 47.0358°N 122.9045°W / 47.0358; -122.9045
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Washington State Senate
Washington State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 12, 2015
Leadership
Brad Owen (D)
since January 15, 1997
President Pro Tem of the Senate
Pam Roach (Majority Coalition Caucus)
since January 12, 2015
Majority Leader
Mark Schoesler (Majority Coalition Caucus)
since December 1, 2014
Minority Leader
Sharon Nelson (D)
since November 20, 2013
Structure
Seats49
Political groups
Governing coalition (MCC)
  •   Republican (25)

Opposition party

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle II, Washington State Constitution
Salary$42,106/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 4, 2014
(24 seats)
Next election
November 8, 2016
(25 seats)
RedistrictingWashington State Redistricting Commission
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Washington State Capitol
Olympia, Washington
Website
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 53% 47% 0

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

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