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Washington State Senate

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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

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