Washington State Senate

File:Budget passing 05.jpg

The Washington State Senate passing the 2005 budget.

The Washington State Senate is the upper house of the Washington State Legislature. The body consists of 49 Senators, respresenting an equal number of districts across the state, each with a population of nearly 120,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olympia.

As with the lower House of Representatives, State Senators serve without term limits, though with a four year term. Also similar to the House, members to the State Senate are elected from the same legislative districts as House members, however one Senator represents the constituency, while for the House there are two Representatives per district.

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 of the Senate

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 Majority and Minority leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.

The President of the Senate is Washington Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen. The President Pro Tempore is Democrat Rosa Franklin of the 29th Legislative District (Lakewood). The Majority Leader is Democrat Lisa Brown of the 3rd Legislative District (Spokane). The Minority Leader is Republican Mike Hewitt of the 16th Legislative District (Walla Walla).

Make-up of the Senate

Affiliation		Members
Template:American politics/party colours/Democratic|	Democratic Party	32 (65.3% Majority)
Template:American politics/party colours/Republican|	Republican Party	17 (34.7% Minority)
Total		49
Government Majority		15

Members of the Senate (2007-2008, 60th Legislature)

District	Senator	Party
1	Rosemary McAuliffe	Democrat
2	Marilyn Rasmussen	Democrat
3	Lisa Brown	Democrat
4	Bob McCaslin	Republican
5	Cheryl Pflug	Republican
6	Chris Marr	Democrat
7	Bob Morton	Republican
8	Jerome Delvin	Republican
9	Mark Schoesler	Republican
10	Mary Margaret Haugen	Democrat
11	Margarita Prentice	Democrat
12	Linda Evans Parlette	Republican
13	Janea Holmquist	Republican
14	Alex Deccio	Republican
15	Jim Honeyford	Republican
16	Mike Hewitt	Republican
17	Don Benton	Republican
18	Joseph Zarelli	Republican
19	Mark Doumit	Democrat
20	Dan Swecker	Republican
21	Paull Shin	Democrat
22	Karen Fraser	Democrat
23	Phil Rockefeller	Democrat
24	James Hargrove	Democrat
25	Jim Kastama	Democrat
26	Derek Kilmer	Democrat
27	Debbie Regala	Democrat
28	Mike Carrell	Republican
29	Rosa Franklin	Democrat
30	Tracey Eide	Democrat
31	Pam Roach	Republican
32	Darlene Fairley	Democrat
33	Karen Keiser	Democrat
34	Erik Poulsen	Democrat
35	Tim Sheldon	Democrat
36	Jeanne Kohl-Welles	Democrat
37	Adam Kline	Democrat
38	Jean Berkey	Democrat
39	Val Stevens	Republican
40	Harriet Spanel	Democrat
41	Brian Weinstein	Democrat
42	Dale Brandland	Republican
43	Ed Murray	Democrat
44	Steve Hobbs	Democrat
45	Eric Oemig	Democrat
46	Ken Jacobsen	Democrat
47	Claudia Kauffman	Democrat
48	Rodney Tom	Democrat
49	Craig Pridemore	Democrat

See also

• Washington State Capitol
• Washington State Legislature
• Washington House of Representatives

External links

• Washington State Senate
• Map of State Senate Districts