Washington State Senate

Upper house of the Washington State Legislature

"Washington Senate" redirects here. For the Senate in Washington, D.C., see United States Senate.

Washington State Senate

Washington State Legislature
Type
Type|

Upper chamber

Term limits

| None
History

New session started

| January 9, 2023
Leadership

President

Denny Heck (D)
since January 13, 2021

President pro tempore

Steve Conway (D)
since January 13, 2025

Majority Leader

Jamie Pedersen (D)
since January 13, 2025

Minority Leader

John Braun (R)
since November 30, 2020

Structure
Seats| 49

Political groups

| Majority Caucus

* Democratic (30)

Minority Caucus

* Republican (19)

Length of term

| 4 years
Authority| Article II, Washington State Constitution
Salary| $56,881/year + per diem [1]
Elections

Last election

| November 5, 2024
(25 seats)

Next election

| November 3, 2026
(24 seats)
Redistricting| Washington Redistricting Commission
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Washington State Capitol
Olympia, Washington
Website
leg.wa.gov/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 160,000. 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 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 Steve Conway. The majority leader is Democrat Jamie Pedersen. The minority leader is Republican John Braun.

## Composition

[edit]

Affiliation  | Party

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  |

|
|
|

|  |
Democratic | Republican | Vacant
End of previous legislature  | 29  | 20  | 49  | 0
Begin 69th legislature  | 30  | 19  | 49  | 0
April 19, 2025[2] | 29  | 48  | 1
June 3, 2025[3] | 30  | 49  | 0
Latest voting share  | 61.2%  | 38.8%  |

### Members (2025-2027, 69th Legislature)

[edit]

District  | Senator  | Party  | Residence[4] | Counties represented  | First elected  | Next election

|
|
|
|
|
|

1 | Derek Stanford | Democratic | Maltby | King (part), Snohomish (part) | 2019† | 2028
2 | Jim McCune | Republican | Graham | Pierce (part), Thurston (part) | 2020 | 2028
3 | Marcus Riccelli | Democratic | Spokane | Spokane (part) | 2024 | 2028
4 | Leonard Christian | Republican | Spokane Valley | Spokane (part) | 2024 | 2028
5 | Victoria Hunt | Democratic | Issaquah | King (part) | 2025† | 2025 (special)
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 | 2028
10 | Ron Muzzall | Republican | Oak Harbor | Island, Skagit (part), Snohomish (part) | 2019† | 2028
11 | Bob Hasegawa | Democratic | Seattle | King (part) | 2012 | 2028
12 | Keith Goehner | Republican | Dryden | Chelan, Douglas (part), King (part), Snohomish (part) | 2024 | 2028
13 | Judy Warnick | Republican | Moses Lake | Grant (part), Kittitas, Yakima (part) | 2014 | 2026
14 | Curtis King | Republican | Yakima | Klickitat, Yakima (part) | 2007^ | 2028
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 | 2028
17 | Paul Harris | Republican | Vancouver | Clark (part), Skamania | 2024 | 2028
18 | Adrian Cortes | Democratic | La Center | Clark (part) | 2024 | 2028
19 | Jeff Wilson | Republican | Longview | Cowlitz (part), Grays Harbor (part), Lewis (part), Pacific, Thurston (part), Wahkiakum | 2020 | 2028
20 | John Braun | Republican | Centralia | Clark (part), Cowlitz (part), Lewis (part), Thurston (part) | 2012 | 2028
21 | Marko Liias | Democratic | Lynnwood | Snohomish (part) | 2014† | 2026
22 | Jessica Bateman | Democratic | Olympia | Thurston (part) | 2024 | 2028
23 | Drew Hansen | Democratic | Bainbridge Island | Kitsap (part) | 2023† | 2028
24 | Mike Chapman | Democratic | Port Angeles | Clallam, Grays Harbor (part), Jefferson | 2024# | 2028
25 | Chris Gildon | Republican | Puyallup | Pierce (part) | 2020 | 2028
26 | Deborah Krishnadasan | Democratic | Gig Harbor | Kitsap (part), Pierce (part) | 2024† | 2025 (special)
27 | Yasmin Trudeau | Democratic | Tacoma | Pierce (part) | 2021† | 2028
28 | T'wina Nobles | Democratic | Fircrest | Pierce (part) | 2020 | 2028
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 | Tina Orwall | Democratic | Des Moines | King (part) | 2024† | 2025 (special)
34 | Emily Alvarado | Democratic | West Seattle | King (part) | 2025† | 2025 (special)
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† | 2028
40 | Liz Lovelett | Democratic | Anacortes | San Juan, Skagit (part), Whatcom (part) | 2019† | 2028
41 | Lisa Wellman | Democratic | Mercer Island | King (part) | 2016 | 2028
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 | Vandana Slatter | Democratic | Bellevue | King (part) | 2025† | 2025 (special)
49 | Annette Cleveland | Democratic | Vancouver | Clark (part) | 2012 | 2028

† Originally appointed
^ Originally elected in special election
# Sworn in early to fill vacant seat

## Past composition of the Senate

[edit]

Main article: Political party strength in Washington (state)

## See also

[edit]

* Washington State Capitol
* Washington State Legislature
* Washington House of Representatives
* List of Washington state legislatures

## Notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Salary Information | Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials". salaries.wa.gov.
2. ^ Democrat Bill Ramos (District 5) died. [1]
3. ^ Democrat Victoria Hunt was appointed to succeed Ramos. [2]
4. ^ "Voter's Pamphlet, Washington State Elections, November 2, 2021" (PDF). Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved December 10, 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Washington State Senate Archived August 31, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
* Map of Legislative Districts

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Washington State Senate

69th State Legislature (2025–2027)

President of the Senate
Denny Heck (D)
President pro tempore
Steve Conway (D)
Majority Leader
Jamie Pedersen (D)
Minority Leader
John Braun (R)

1. ▌Derek Stanford (D)
2. ▌Jim McCune (R)
3. ▌Marcus Riccelli (D)
4. ▌Leonard Christian (R)
5. ▌Victoria Hunt (D)
6. ▌Jeff Holy (R)
7. ▌Shelly Short (R)
8. ▌Matt Boehnke (R)
9. ▌Mark Schoesler (R)
10. ▌Ron Muzzall (R)
11. ▌Bob Hasegawa (D)
12. ▌Keith Goehner (R)
13. ▌Judy Warnick (R)
14. ▌Curtis King (R)
15. ▌Nikki Torres (R)
16. ▌Perry Dozier (R)
17. ▌Paul Harris (R)
18. ▌Adrian Cortes (D)
19. ▌Jeff Wilson (R)
20. ▌John Braun (R)
21. ▌Marko Liias (D)
22. ▌Jessica Bateman (D)
23. ▌Drew Hansen (D)
24. ▌Mike Chapman (D)
25. ▌Chris Gildon (R)
26. ▌Deborah Krishnadasan (D)
27. ▌Yasmin Trudeau (D)
28. ▌T'wina Nobles (D)
29. ▌Steve Conway (D)
30. ▌Claire Wilson (D)
31. ▌Phil Fortunato (R)
32. ▌Jesse Salomon (D)
33. ▌Tina Orwall (D)
34. ▌Emily Alvarado (D)
35. ▌Drew MacEwen (R)
36. ▌Noel Frame (D)
37. ▌Rebecca Saldaña (D)
38. ▌June Robinson (D)
39. ▌Keith Wagoner (R)
40. ▌Liz Lovelett (D)
41. ▌Lisa Wellman (D)
42. ▌Sharon Shewmake (D)
43. ▌Jamie Pedersen (D)
44. ▌John Lovick (D)
45. ▌Manka Dhingra (D)
46. ▌Javier Valdez (D)
47. ▌Claudia Kauffman (D)
48. ▌Vandana Slatter (D)
49. ▌Annette Cleveland (D)

Majority caucus
▌Democratic (30)
Minority caucus
▌Republican (19)

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