Washington State Legislature 2026: Retirements, Open Seats & Seat Transitions
Washington State Legislature
2026 Departures, Retirements, Intraparty Challengers, and Seat Transitions
Updated April 27, 2026
The 2026 cycle is shaping up as one of the more turbulent transition years in recent memory for Olympia. A mix of retirements, higher-office ambitions, and cross-chamber moves will open seats, vacate committee chairs, and in several districts leave both the Senate and House seats in play simultaneously. This is a list of every known departure, with notes on where one move sets off a chain reaction of openings and where Chairs are departing key committees heading into the 2027 session.
Key Dates: Candidate Filing Period: May 4–8, 2026 | Primary: August 4, 2026 | General Election: November 3, 2026
Strategic Highlights
- All 98 House seats and 25 Senate seats are on the ballot in 2026.
- Six committee chairs or vice-chairs are vacating their roles: Saldaña (Senate Labor & Commerce), Shewmake (Senate Env/Energy/Tech), Conway (Senate Labor/Commerce VC & Rules VC), Ormsby (House Appropriations), Tharinger (House Capital Budget), Mena (House State Government), and Ryu (House Tech/Econ Dev/Veterans).
- LD 13 is a full domino district: Warnick retiring → Ybarra running for her Senate seat → 13th District House Pos. 2 opens. Rep. Tom Dent confirmed reelection and is NOT departing.
- LD 45: Rep. Larry Springer (D-Kirkland), House Deputy Majority Leader since 2014, announced retirement April 19, 2026 after 21 years. Vanessa Kritzer (D, Redmond City Council) and Chandler Torbett (D, tech attorney) announced for the open seat.
- LD 43: Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen (D, Capitol Hill/U-District) faces a primary challenge from Hannah Sabio-Howell. One of the most watched legislative races of the cycle.
- LD 32: Rep. Cindy Ryu is challenging incumbent Sen. Jesse Salomon in a D-vs-D primary. Ryu's House seat opens with five Democrats already announced. Separately, incumbent Rep. Lauren Davis faces primary challengers in House Pos. 2.
- The Spokane area sees the highest concentration of turnover: Ormsby (LD 3), Graham & Volz (LD 6), and Schmidt (LD 4) all departing — four open House seats in one metro area.
- Three districts present clear domino effects (a House member running for a Senate vacancy, opening their House seat in turn): LD 29 (Conway/Mena), LD 37 (Saldaña/Street), and LD 13 (Warnick/Ybarra).
- CD-3 (SW Washington): Senate Minority Leader Braun challenging Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez.
- CD-4 (Central WA): Open seat after Newhouse retirement; Boehnke among several R candidates in primary.
- The 26th District (Gig Harbor) remains one of the few purple districts in the state, with Valdez's departure opening the House seat.
Departures by Legislative District
Organized by district number. Chair and ranking-member roles are noted. Domino effect districts are flagged.
LD 3Spokane (City Core)
Timm Ormsby (D) · House · Retiring
Chair House Appropriations Committee — lead budget writer, 23-year career
Announced: Luc Jasmin III (D, Gov. Ferguson regional outreach rep); Pam Kohlmeier (D, ER doctor); John Kness (R)
LD 4Spokane County (East)
Suzanne Schmidt (R) · House · Running for Spokane Co. Commission
Member, Consumer Protection & Business
Announced: Shawna Nowels (R, teacher/wife of Spokane Co. Sheriff); Hillary Pham (R, legislative assistant to Chase)
LD 6Spokane (North/West)⚠ Both House Seats Open
Mike Volz (R) · House Pos. 1 · Retiring (focusing on Spokane Co. Treasurer)
Member, various committees
Announced: Isaiah Paine (R), Jennifer Morton (R)
Jenny Graham (R) · House Pos. 2 · Retiring
Ranking Member — House Community Safety Committee; criminal justice & victim advocacy focus
Announced: Jonathan Bingle (R)
LD 8Kennewick / Tri-Cities
Matt Boehnke (R) · Senate · Running for CD-4 (Congress) — must vacate seat
Member, Senate Republican Caucus moderating voice
Announced: Nikki Torres (R) running in the 8th District Senate primary (redistricting)
LD 11South Seattle, Renton, Tukwila, Kent
David Hackney (D) · House Pos. 1 · Running for reelection — facing primary challenger
Member, various committees
Hackney is running. Challenger: Ashley Fedan (D, certified registered nurse anesthetist).
LD 13Moses Lake / Grant & Adams Counties⚠ Domino Effect
Judy Warnick (R) · Senate · Retiring after 20-year career
Member, Ways & Means; Member, Higher Ed & Workforce Dev.; Senate R Caucus Chair; ag policy focus
Announced: Rep. Alex Ybarra (R) running for seat → opens 13th District House Pos. 2
Alex Ybarra (R) · House Pos. 2 · Running for Senate in the 13th District
Ranking Member — Postsecondary Education & Workforce; Asst. Ranking Member, Labor & Workplace Standards
Announced: Deanna Martinez (R, former Moses Lake city council); Don Myers (R, Moses Lake deputy mayor/former mayor); Jeff Leichleiter (R, Ellensburg business owner)
Tom Dent (R) · House Pos. 1 · Running for reelection — NOT departing
Ranking Member — House Agriculture & Natural Resources; Member, Early Learning & Human Services; Member, Transportation
Dent confirmed reelection bid despite retirement speculation.
LD 15Yakima Valley (North)⚠ Domino Effect
Nikki Torres* (R) · Senate · Running for 8th District Senate seat (redistricting move)
First Latina senator representing Central Washington
Announced: Rep. Jeremie Dufault (R) running for 15th District Senate seat → opens House Pos. 2
Jeremie Dufault (R) · House Pos. 2 · Running for Senate in the 15th District
Asst. Ranking Member, Consumer Protection & Business
Announced: Chase Foster (R); Mark Klicker (R, incumbent from adjacent district); Amy Forrest (D, Yakima city council candidate 2025). Complex redistricting situation.
LD 20Centralia / Lewis County
John Braun (R) · Senate Minority Leader · Running for CD-3 — does NOT vacate Senate seat
Senate Minority Leader; seat remains filled while he campaigns
No vacancy unless Braun wins in November.
LD 24Port Townsend / Olympic Peninsula
Steve Tharinger (D) · House · Retiring after 8 terms
Chair House Capital Budget Committee; Member, Appropriations
Announced: Patrick DePoe (D, exec. director Association of Washington Tribes); Mark Hodgson (D, Port Angeles city council); Aiden Hamilton (R)
LD 26Gig Harbor / Pierce & Kitsap Counties⚠ Purple District
Michelle Valdez (R) · House Pos. 2 · Retiring after 12 years
Asst. Ranking Member, Health Care & Wellness; Member, Appropriations; foster youth & crime victim focus
Announced: Katy Cornell (R, nonprofit leader/pastor, Valdez-endorsed); Renee Hernandez Greenfield (D, educator/Kitsap Co. Dems vice chair); Rafe Sher (D, data engineer). One of WA's few purple districts.
LD 29South Tacoma / Pierce County⚠ Domino Effect
Steve Conway (D) · Senate · Retiring
Vice Chair, Labor & Commerce; Vice Chair, Rules; Member, Ways & Means; longest-serving Dem (since 1993)
Announced: Rep. Sharlett Mena (D) running for seat → opens 29th District House seat
Sharlett Mena (D) · House · Running for Senate in the 29th District
Chair House State Government Committee
Announced: Joe Bushnell (D, Tacoma City Council); Patrick Stickney (D, WA Office of Equity); Erin Chapman-Smith (D, exec. director ROOTS shelter); Mark Greene (R)
LD 32NW Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood
Jesse Salomon (D) · Senate · Running for reelection — facing primary challenge from Rep. Ryu
Chair Senate Local Government Committee; Member, Housing; Member, Law & Justice; Member, Rules
No vacancy — Salomon is NOT departing. Rep. Ryu is challenging him in a D-vs-D primary.
Cindy Ryu (D) · House Pos. 1 · Running for Senate in the 32nd District
Chair House Technology, Economic Development & Veterans Committee; Member, Appropriations; Member, Consumer Protection & Business; 8 terms (since 2011)
Announced: Chris Bloomquist (D); Will Chen (D); Jenna Nand (D); Danica Noble (D, FTC antitrust lawyer); Keith Scully (D). No R announced. Seat opens.
Lauren Davis (D) · House Pos. 2 · Running for reelection — facing primary challengers
Member, various committees
Davis is running. Challengers include Imraan Siddiqi (D, CAIR-WA director) and Jared Mead (D, Snohomish Co. Council).
LD 37South Seattle (Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, Central District, Renton)⚠ Domino Effect
Rebecca Saldaña (D) · Senate · Running for King County Council
Chair Senate Labor & Commerce Committee; served since 2017
Announced: Rep. Chipalo Street (D) running for seat → opens 37th District House seat
Chipalo Street (D) · House · Running for Senate in the 37th District
Member, various committees
Announced: Jaelynn Scott (D)
LD 39Sultan / Snohomish County (East)
Carolyn Eslick (R) · House Pos. 2 · Retiring
Member, various committees
Announced: Steve Ewing (R, former Lake Stevens city council)
LD 42Bellingham / Whatcom County
Sharon Shewmake (D) · Senate · Retiring
Chair Environment, Energy & Technology Committee; Member, Transportation; Member, Ag & Natural Resources; first Dem to hold the seat in decades
Announced: Eamonn Collins (D, teacher/Whatcom Co. Dems chair); Michael Shepard (D, Port of Bellingham commissioner); Erika Creydt (R, Blaine School Board director/clinical psychologist). Both sitting 42nd District House members declined to run.
LD 43Seattle (Capitol Hill, University District, Fremont, Belltown, Eastlake, Laurelhurst)
Jamie Pedersen (D) · Senate Majority Leader · Running for reelection — facing primary challenge
Senate Majority Leader; former Chair, Law & Justice Committee; 20-year legislative career
Pedersen is NOT departing. Challenger: Hannah Sabio-Howell (D, former Working Washington communications director/Senate staffer).
LD 45Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Woodinville (East King County)
Larry Springer (D) · House Pos. 2 · Retiring — announced April 19, 2026
House Deputy Majority Leader (since 2014); Member, Rules; 21-year career; former Kirkland Mayor
Announced: Vanessa Kritzer (D, Redmond City Councilmember); Chandler Torbett (D, tech attorney/small business owner). Rep. Roger Goodman (Pos. 1) and Sen. Manka Dhingra both running for reelection.
LD 49Vancouver (West) / Clark County
Sharon Wylie (D) · House Pos. 1 · Running for Clark County Auditor
Member, various committees; 8 terms (since 2011)
Announced: Kim Harless (D), Mike Pond (D)
* Green-shaded rows indicate members who are NOT departing. Amber-shaded rows indicate a committee chair or ranking member position being vacated.
Congressional Connections
CD-3: Southwest Washington
Senate Minority Leader John Braun (R-Centralia, LD 20) is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D). Braun does not need to vacate his Senate seat to run, so the 20th District Senate seat is not immediately open. Gluesenkamp Perez has cultivated a moderate, bipartisan brand and has proven durable in a Trump-leaning district.
CD-4: Central Washington Open Seat
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R) is retiring, creating a wide-open Republican primary. Sen. Matt Boehnke (R-Kennewick, LD 8) is among the candidates, forcing him to vacate his Senate seat. Rep. Nikki Torres (R) has also entered the 8th District Senate primary as a result of redistricting, creating a layered competitive dynamic in Central Washington.
Domino Effect Districts
Domino effect noted where a House member is running for a Senate vacancy, opening their House seat in turn.
29th District — South Tacoma / Pierce County
Sen. Steve Conway retiring → Rep. Sharlett Mena running for Senate → 29th District House seat open.
37th District — South Seattle / Rainier Valley
Sen. Rebecca Saldaña running for King County Council → Rep. Chipalo Street running for Senate → 37th District House seat open.
13th District — Moses Lake / Grant County
Sen. Judy Warnick retiring → Rep. Alex Ybarra running for Senate → 13th District House Pos. 2 open.
32nd District — Shoreline / Edmonds / NW Seattle
Rep. Cindy Ryu vacating her House seat to challenge incumbent Sen. Jesse Salomon in a D-vs-D primary. 32nd District House seat opens.
15th District — Yakima Valley
Sen. Nikki Torres running in the 8th District (redistricting) → Rep. Jeremie Dufault running for 15th District Senate seat → 15th District House Pos. 2 open.
6th District — Spokane
Both House seats open simultaneously: Mike Volz (Pos. 1) retiring; Jenny Graham (Pos. 2) retiring. Combined with nearby openings in LD 3 and LD 4, Spokane has four open House seats.
Committee Leadership Impact
Senate first, sorted by district; House second. Chair rows are highlighted in amber.
MemberLDChamberRole Being Vacated
Steve Conway (D)LD 29SenateVice Chair, Labor & Commerce; Vice Chair, Rules; Member, Ways & Means
Rebecca Saldaña (D)LD 37SenateChair — Labor & Commerce Committee
Sharon Shewmake (D)LD 42SenateChair — Environment, Energy & Technology; Member, Transportation; Member, Ag & Natural Resources
Timm Ormsby (D)LD 3HouseChair — Appropriations Committee (lead budget writer, 23-year career)
Jenny Graham (R)LD 6HouseRanking Member — Community Safety Committee
Steve Tharinger (D)LD 24HouseChair — Capital Budget Committee; Member, Appropriations
Michelle Valdez (R)LD 26HouseAsst. Ranking Member, Health Care & Wellness; Member, Appropriations
Sharlett Mena (D)LD 29HouseChair — State Government Committee
Cindy Ryu (D)LD 32HouseChair — Technology, Economic Development & Veterans Committee; Member, Appropriations
Notes
Based on known information as of April 24, 2026. Filing period is May 4–8, 2026; additional announcements will follow. Sen. John Braun (LD 20) is included for congressional race context only; his Senate seat is not currently open.
