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House of Representatives of Washington
Washington State Legislature
Type
Type	Lower house
Term limits	None
History
New session started	January 13, 2025
Leadership
Speaker	Laurie Jinkins (D) since January 13, 2020
Speaker pro tempore	Vacant since December 10, 2024
Majority Leader	Joe Fitzgibbon (D) since November 21, 2022
Minority Leader	Drew Stokesbary (R) since April 23, 2023
Structure
Seats	98
Political groups	Majority    Democratic (58) Minority    Republican (40)
Length of term	2 years
Authority	Article II, Washington State Constitution
Salary	$56,881/year + per diem
Elections
Last election	November 5, 2024 (98 seats)
Next election	November 3, 2026 (98 seats)
Redistricting	Washington Redistricting Commission
Meeting place
House of Representatives Chamber Washington State Capitol Olympia, Washington
Website
Washington State Legislature

The Washington House of Representatives is the lower house of the Washington State Legislature, and along with the Washington State Senate makes up the legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is composed of 98 Representatives from 49 districts, each of which elects one Senator and two members of the House. They are elected to separate positions with the top-two primary system. All members of the House are elected to a two-year term without term limits. The House meets at the State Capitol in Olympia.

Leadership of the House of Representatives

The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker and the Speaker Pro Tem are nominated by the majority party caucus followed by a vote of the full House. As well as presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leadership position and controls the flow of legislation. In the absence of the Speaker the Speaker Pro Tem assumes the role of Speaker. Other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the House.

The Speaker of the House during the first session of the 65th legislature (2019) was Democrat Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) of the 43rd Legislative District. He stepped down at the end of the session and John Lovick (D-Mill Creek) of the 44th Legislative District served as speaker pro tempore until the second session, when Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma) was elected speaker. The Majority Leader is Joe Fitzgibbon (D) of the 34th Legislative District. The Republican Minority Leader is Drew Stokesbary (R-Auburn) of the 31st Legislative District.

Composition

Members (2023–2025, 68th Legislature)

*Originally appointed

#Sworn in early to fill vacant seat

†Had previous tenure in Washington House of Representatives

^Redistricted during current tenure

‡Originally elected in special election

§Member of no caucus

Notable former members

The first women elected were Frances Cleveland Axtell and Nena Jolidon Croake in 1912.

Past composition of the House of Representatives

See also

• Washington State Capitol
• Washington State Legislature
• Washington State Senate
• List of Washington state legislatures
• List of United States federal legislation, 2001–present

References

1. "Salary Information | Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials". salaries.wa.gov.
2. "Washington House Democrats select Laurie Jinkins of Tacoma to succeed Speaker Frank Chopp". The Seattle Times. July 31, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
3. "House of Representatives Leadership". leg.wa.gov.
4. "Voter's Pamphlet, Washington State Elections, November 2, 2021" (PDF). Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
5. "Frances Cleveland Axtell (1866-1953)". National Women's History Museum. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
6. "Nena Jolidon Croake". Washington State Historical Society. Retrieved June 8, 2016.

External links

Media related to Washington House of Representatives at Wikimedia Commons

• Washington House of Representatives
• Map of Legislative Districts

47°02′09″N 122°54′19″W / 47.0358°N 122.9054°W / 47.0358; -122.9054

• Washington State Legislature
• State lower houses in the United States