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 approximately 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, and 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 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 AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacantDemocraticRepublicanEnd of previous legislature2920490Begin 69th legislature3019490April 19, 2025Democrat Bill Ramos (District 5) died. 29481June 3, 2025Democrat Victoria Hunt was appointed to succeed Ramos. 30490Latest voting share Members (2025–2027, 69th Legislature) DistrictNamePartyResidenceCountiesFirst ElectionNext Election1DemocraticMaltbyKing (part), Snohomish (part)201920282RepublicanGrahamPierce (part), Thurston (part)202020283DemocraticSpokaneSpokane (part)202420284RepublicanSpokane ValleySpokane (part)202420285DemocraticIssaquahKing (part)202520286RepublicanSpokaneSpokane (part)201820267RepublicanAddyDouglas (part), Ferry, Grant (part), Okanogan (part), Pend Oreille, Spokane (part), Stevens201720268RepublicanKennewickBenton (part), Franklin (part)202220269RepublicanRitzvilleAdams (part), Asotin, Columbia, Franklin (part), Garfield, Lincoln, Spokane (part), Whitman2004202810RepublicanOak HarborIsland, Skagit (part), Snohomish (part)2019202811DemocraticSeattleKing (part)2012202812RepublicanDrydenChelan, Douglas (part), King (part), Snohomish (part)2024202813RepublicanMoses LakeGrant (part), Kittitas, Yakima (part)2014202614RepublicanYakimaKlickitat, Yakima (part)2007202815RepublicanPascoAdams (part), Benton (part), Franklin (part), Grant (part), Yakima (part)2022202616RepublicanWaitsburgBenton (part), Walla Walla2020202817RepublicanVancouverClark (part), Skamania2024202818DemocraticLa CenterClark (part)2024202819RepublicanLongviewCowlitz (part), Grays Harbor (part), Lewis (part), Pacific, Thurston (part), Wahkiakum2020202820RepublicanCentraliaClark (part), Cowlitz (part), Lewis (part), Thurston (part)2012202821DemocraticLynnwoodSnohomish (part)2014202622DemocraticOlympiaThurston (part)2024202823DemocraticBainbridge IslandKitsap (part)2023202824DemocraticPort AngelesClallam, Grays Harbor (part), Jefferson2024202825RepublicanPuyallupPierce (part)2020202826DemocraticGig HarborKitsap (part), Pierce (part)2024202627DemocraticTacomaPierce (part)2021202828DemocraticFircrestPierce (part)2020202829DemocraticTacomaPierce (part)2010202630DemocraticAuburnKing (part)2018202631RepublicanAuburnKing (part), Pierce (part)2017202632DemocraticShorelineKing (part), Snohomish (part)2018202633DemocraticDes MoinesKing (part)2024202634DemocraticWest SeattleKing (part)2025202635RepublicanUnionKitsap (part), Mason, Thurston (part)2022202636DemocraticSeattleKing (part)2022202637DemocraticSeattleKing (part)2016202638DemocraticEverettSnohomish (part)2020202639RepublicanSedro-WoolleySkagit (part), Snohomish (part)2018202840DemocraticAnacortesSan Juan, Skagit (part), Whatcom (part)2019202841DemocraticMercer IslandKing (part)2016202842DemocraticBellinghamWhatcom (part)2022202643DemocraticSeattleKing (part)2013202644DemocraticMill Creek Snohomish (part)2021202645DemocraticRedmondKing (part)2017202646DemocraticSeattleKing (part)2022202647DemocraticKentKing (part)2022202648DemocraticBellevueKing (part)2025202649DemocraticVancouverClark (part)20122028
Past composition of the Senate
See also Washington State Capitol Washington State Legislature Washington House of Representatives List of Washington state legislatures
References
External links Washington State Senate Map of Legislative Districts