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Washington State Senate
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 nearly 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, though 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 provis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Washington State Legislature
The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 Representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, with 49 Senators plus the Lieutenant Governor acting as president. The state is divided into 49 legislative districts, each of which elect one senator and two representatives. The State Legislature meets in the Legislative Building at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia. As of January 2021, Democrats control both houses of the Washington State Legislature. Democrats hold a 57-41 majority in the House of Representatives and a 28-21 majority in the Senate (with one Democratic senator caucusing with the 20 Republicans). History The Washington State Legislature traces its ancestry to the creation of the Washington Territory in 1853, following successful arguments from settlers north of the Columbia River to the U.S. federal govern ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Washington State
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington Territory, which was ceded by the British Empire in 1846, by the Oregon Treaty in the settlement of the Oregon boundary dispute. The state is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, and the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. It was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889. Olympia is the state capital; the state's largest city is Seattle. Washington is often referred to as Washington state to distinguish it from the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Washington is the 18th-largest state, with an area of , and the 13th-most populous state, with more than 7.7 million people. The majority of Washington's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area, the center of trans ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simon Sefzik
Simon A. Sefzik (born December 21, 1999) is an American politician of the Republican Party who served as a member of the Washington State Senate from the 42nd district. He assumed office on January 11, 2022. Early life and education Sefzik was born in Ferndale, Washington. He graduated ''summa cum laude'' with Highest Honors from Patrick Henry College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a concentration in American Politics and Policy. Prior to attending Patrick Henry College, Simon was a four-time national high school forensics champion. Career A member of the Republican Party, Sefzik served as an intern in the office of Congressman Ted Budd and in the White House Office during the Trump Administration. On January 11, 2022, after the death of Washington state Senator Doug Ericksen, Simon was selected by the Whatcom County Council to finish Senator Ericksen's term. With his appointment, Sefzik became the youngest member of the Washington State Senate. In the Wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doug Ericksen
Douglas John Ericksen (January 28, 1969 – December 17, 2021) was an American politician and lobbyist who served as a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 42nd district from 2011 to 2021. Ericksen was the ranking member of the body's Energy, Environment, and Telecommunications Committee. In April 2019, he registered as a foreign agent to consult and lobby for Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia. Early life and education Ericksen was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in government from Cornell University and a Master of Arts in political science and environmental policy from Western Washington University. Career Ericksen began his political career working for Washington State Senator Ann Anderson, 42nd Legislative District, while he was attending Western Washington University. In 1998, he accepted a position with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife as a Legislative Affairs Coordinator. He left his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Lovick (politician)
Johnny Ray Lovick (born May 9, 1951) is an American politician and law enforcement officer serving as a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 44th district since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed in December 2021 to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Steve Hobbs to become Washington secretary of state. Career Lovick previously served in the House from 1999 until 2007 and 2016 until 2021, as Snohomish County sheriff, and on the Mill Creek city council. From 2013 to 2016, Lovick was the Snohomish County Executive, appointed after the resignation of Aaron Reardon; Lovick lost to Dave Somers in the 2015 election. Lovick has served as a sergeant of the Washington State Patrol since 1997. During the 2021 legislative session, Lovick's first proposed bill to make Pickleball the official sport of Washington passed and became official in March 2022. In the 2022 general election, Lovesick won a full term for the state Senate with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Secretary Of State Of Washington
The secretary of state of Washington is an independently elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Washington. Fifteen individuals have held the office of Secretary of State since statehood. The incumbent is Steve Hobbs, a Democrat. Qualifications To hold office as Secretary of State, a person must be a United States citizen registered to vote in the state of Washington, provide a $10,000 surety bond to the state conditioned on faithful execution of the duties of office, and reside in the city of Olympia, Washington, by the time of inauguration. Only the governor, state treasurer and secretary of state are constitutionally required to live in the capital city. Powers and duties The secretary of state is in effect the guarantor of the continuity and stability of good government in Washington, with his or her role extending to the certification, filing, and preservation of public records, the supervision of all aspects of stat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Hobbs (Washington Politician)
Steven Ryuma Hobbs (born February 12, 1970) is an American military officer and politician serving as the 16th Secretary of State of Washington since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 44th district from 2007 to 2021. In 2021, Governor Jay Inslee named Hobbs to succeed the departing Kim Wyman as Secretary of State of Washington; he is the first Democrat in the state to serve in the position since Victor Aloysius Meyers left it in 1965. Political career In 2006, Hobbs was elected as state senator representing Washington's 44th Legislative District. He served as the top Democrat on the Transportation Committee, he also served on the Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee as well as the Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development Committee. In 2015, Hobbs led the bipartisan Joint Transportation Committee in passing transportation revenue package brought a $16 billion investment to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Majority Coalition Caucus
The Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) was a caucus formed on December 10, 2012, by all 23 Republican members of the Washington State Senate and two Democratic senators. Its membership constituted a majority of the chamber's 49 members, allowing it to take control of the Senate from the Democratic caucus whose members had previously formed a majority. The MCC, operating much like a coalition government, offered an equal number of committee leadership positions to Republicans and Democrats. Senate Democrats accepted only three of the nine positions offered them. The Republicans strengthened their position by gaining one seat in the 2013 election, but lost its majority following a special election in November 2017. The coalition has 23 Republicans and one self-identified Democratic senator, Tim Sheldon. On November 15, 2017 the Majority Coalition Caucus returned to being the state Senate Republican Caucus. Formation and organization In the November 2012 elections, Republicans gaine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Constitution Of Washington
The Constitution of the State of Washington is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Washington. The constitution was adopted as part of Washington Territory's path to statehood in 1889. An earlier constitution was drafted and ratified in 1878, but it was never officially adopted. 1878 constitution In 1877 Orange Jacobs, Washington Territory's Delegate to U.S. Congress, requested an enabling act that would allow Washington to become a state as soon as a state constitution was drafted and ratified by the voters. At the same time, an act was passed by the Washington Territorial Legislative Assembly to convene a constitutional convention. Without waiting for action by Congress, Washington's voters elected fifteen delegates who met in Walla Walla in June and July 1878 and drafted a constitution. The voters of the territory approved the constitution in November 1878 with a vote of 6,537 in favor and 3,236 opposed. Congress, ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Governor Of Washington
The governor of Washington is the head of government of Washington and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.WA Const. art. III, § 2. The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws,WA Const. art. III, § 5. the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Washington Legislature and line-item veto power to cancel specific provisions in spending bills. The Washington governor may also convene the legislature on "extraordinary occasions". Washington Territory had 14 territorial governors from its organization in 1853 until the formation of the state of Washington in 1889. Territorial governors were appointed by the president of the United States. Elisha P. Ferry had the longest term of eight years and went on to become the state's first governor. William H. Wallace was appointed governor but never took office due to being elected as the territory's congressional delegate. George Edward Cole was appointed governor and took office, but his appointment was ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
State Legislature (United States)
A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', while in 19 states the legislature is called the ''General Assembly''. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the ''General Court'', while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature the ''Legislative Assembly''. Composition Every state except Nebraska has a bicameral legislature, meaning that the legislature consists of two separate legislative chambers or houses. In each case the smaller chamber is called the Senate and is usually referred to as the upper house. This chamber typically, but not always, has the exclusive power to confirm appointments made by the governor and to try articles of impeachment. (In a few states, a separate Executive Council, composed of members elected from large districts, perform ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Term Limits
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms an officeholder may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method of curbing the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes " president for life". This is intended to protect a republic from becoming a ''de facto'' dictatorship. Term limits may be applied as a lifetime limit on the number of terms an officeholder may serve, or the restrictions may be applied as a limit on the number of consecutive terms they may serve. History Europe Term limits date back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Republic, as well as the Republic of Venice. In ancient Athenian democracy, many officeholders were limited to a single term. Council members were allowed a maximum of two terms. The position of Strategos could be held for an indefinite number of terms. In the Roman Republic, a law was passed imposing a limit of a single term ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
