Introduction
This page is maintained by the reference staff of the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State. Historical legislators were identified using contemporary newspaper accounts, interviews, news releases, and other primary source materials. Current legislators must identify themselves to be included: their profiles appear in green on the page. Given our process for adding new legislators, this guide may not be considered completely up-to-date. However, new information is added as it is received by librarians at the State Library, and subsequently confirmed by legislative staff. Please contact Ask a Librarian with updates, corrections, or concerns.
Biographies
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Historical Society |
Name: William Owen Bush (1832 - 1907) Party: Republican District: Thurston County (at large) Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 1889 (First Legislature) Occupation: Farmer Notable Legislation: House Bill 90 to establish a college for the study of the science of agriculture, which eventually became Washington State University. Biography: Black Past | Historylink | Obituary
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Photo courtesy of the Washington Digital Archives |
Name: John H. Ryan (1865 - 1943) Party: Farm Labor; Republican; Democrat District: 38 Pierce County; 28 Pierce County Branch: House of Representatives and Senate Years Served: 1921-1924 Farm Labor; 1931-1932 Republican, House of Representatives for District 38. 1933-1936 Democrat, Senate; 1941-1942 Democrat, House of Representatives for District 28. Notable Legislation: Successfully argued against an anti-interracial marriage bill in 1921 Biography: Black Past | Historylink |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Charles M. Stokes (1903 - 1996) Party: Republican District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 1951-1954; 1957-1958 Occupation: Attorney Notable Legislation: Co-sponsor of the Civil Rights Omnibus Bill of 1957 Biography: Black Past | Historylink |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Digital Archives |
Name: Samuel (Sam) J. Smith (1922 - 1995) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 1959-1968 Occupation: Boeing Aircraft employee Notable Legislation: SB 378, the Fair Housing Law of 1957 Biography: Black Past | Legacy Washington | Obituary
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Photo courtesy of the Black Heritage Society of Washington State, Inc. |
Name: Marjorie Pitter-King (1921 - 1996) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: Appointed 1965 to serve an unexpired term, did not win reelection Occupation: Accountant Notable Legislation: Never participated in a legislative session Biography: Black Past | Washington State Legislature | Historylink | Obituary |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Digital Archives |
Name: George Fleming (1937 - 2021) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives and Senate Years Served: 1969-1970 House of Representatives; 1971-1990 Senate Occupation: Athlete and Economic Development Manager for Pacific Northwest Bell/US West Notable Legislation: SB 3230 of 1983, creating the Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises Biography: Black Past | Obituary | YouTube |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Digital Archives |
Name: Peggy Joan Maxie (1936 - 2024) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 1971-1982 Occupation: Social Worker Notable Legislation: Prime Sponsor of the Landlord-Tenant Act of 1973 Biography: Black Past | Historylink | Washington State Legislature | Obituary
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Digital Archives |
Name: Michael K. Ross (1941 - 2007) Party: Republican District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 1971-1972 Occupation: Contractor Notable Legislation: HB 214, closing loopholes in the laws regarding the recall of elected officials Biography: Black Past | Historylink | Obituary |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: William (Bill) Smitherman (1943 - 2021) Party: Democrat District: 26 Pierce and Kitsap Counties Branch: House of Representatives and Senate Years Served: 1983-1986 House of Representatives; 1986-1990 Senate Occupation: Management - Planning Consultant Notable Legislation: SB 6095, creating University of Washington, Tacoma campus in 1990 Biography: Black Past | Obituary |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Jesse Wineberry (1955 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 and 43 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 1985-1992 for District 43; 1993-1994 for District 37 Occupation: Unlisted in the Legislative Manual Notable Legislation: HB 2319 Programs to Reduce Youth Violence in 1994 Biography: Black Past | Historylink | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Rosa Franklin (1927 - ) Party: Democrat District: 29 Pierce County Branch: House of Representatives and Senate Years Served: 1991-1993 House of Representatives; first appointed, subsequently reelected 1993-2010 Senate Occupation: Nursing Notable Legislation: SB 5584, the Washington Housing Policy Act of 1993 Biography: Black Past | Legacy Washington | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Vivian Caver (1928 - 2021) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: Appointed 1994 to an unexpired term, did not win reelection Occupation: Civic and Human Rights Activist Notable Legislation: HB 2670, relief for seniors and disability retirees on property taxes Biography: Black Past | Washington State Legislature | Oral History Interview | Obituary |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Dawn Mason (1945 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 1995-1998 Occupation: Management Systems Analyst for Seattle Water Notable Legislation: HB 2392, standardization of juvenile prosecution Biography: Black Past | Historylink | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of Senate Democratic Caucus |
Name: John Lovick (1951 - ) Party: Democrat District: 44 Snohomish County Branch: House of Representatives and Senate Years Served: 1999-2007 and 2016-2021, House of Representatives; appointed 2021 to an unexpired term - current, Senate Occupation: Law Enforcement Notable Legislation: HB 1460 of 2001, making not wearing a seatbelt a primary offense Biography: Black Past | Senate website | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Eric Pettigrew (1960 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2003-2020 Occupation: Business Development Consultant Notable Legislation: HB 2791 of 2016, forming the Washington Statewide Reentry Council Biography: Black Past | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: David Simpson (1956 - ) Party: Democrat District: 38 Snohomish County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: Appointed 2004 to an unexpired term, did not win reelection Occupation: Teacher and Labor Advocate Notable Legislation: HB 2727, requiring insurers who use credit scores to determine eligibility to file rating plans with the Insurance Commissioner Biography: LinkedIn
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Roger Freeman (1966 - 2014) Party: Democrat District: 30 King and Pierce Counties Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2013-2014 Occupation: Attorney Notable Legislation: HB 1868, Medical insurance for police officers and fire fighters |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Kristine Reeves (1981 - ) Party: Democrat District: 30 King and Pierce Counties Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2017-2019; 2023 - current Occupation: Economic Developer Notable Legislation: HB 1802 of 2017, the Wounded Warrior Shared Leave Act Biography: Black Past | House website | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Debra Entenman (1961 - ) Party: Democrat District: 47 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2019 - current Occupation: Congressional District Director Notable Legislation: Biography: Black Past | House website | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Melanie Morgan (1967 - ) Party: Democrat District: 29 Pierce County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2019 - current Occupation: unlisted in the Legislative Manual Notable Legislation: HB 1016 of 2021 making Juneteenth a legal holiday Biography: Black Past | House website | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Jesse Johnson (1989 - ) Party: Democrat District: 30 King and Pierce County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: Appointed 2020 to an unexpired term, reelected 2020 - 2022 Occupation: Public School Workforce Planning and Development Notable Legislation: HB 2711 of 2019, Improving educational outcomes for homeless and foster care children Biography: Black Past | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: April Berg (1974 - ) Party: Democrat District: 44 Snohomish County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2021 - current Occupation: Planning Commissioner Notable Legislation: HB 1342, Eliminating lunch copay for students on reduced price lunch Biography: Black Past | House website |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Kirsten Harris-Talley (1979 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2021 - 2022 Occupation: Nonprofit director Notable Legislation: HB 1881 of 2022, creating doula professional licensing Biography: Black Past | LinkedIn
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Photo courtesy House Democrats |
Name: Jamila Taylor (1975 - ) Party: Democrat District: 30 King and Pierce County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2021 - current Occupation: Attorney Notable Legislation: Pending Biography: Black Past | House website | |
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Photo courtesy of Senate Democratic Caucus |
Name: T'wina Nobles (1981 - ) Party: Democrat District: 28 Pierce County Branch: Senate Years Served: 2021 - current Occupation: Teacher Notable Legislation: Pending Biography: Black Past | Senate website | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy House Democrats |
Name: Julia Reed Party: Democrat District: 36 King County Branch: House Years Served: 2023 - current Occupation: Workforce development Notable Legislation: Pending Biography: House website |
