The Washington legislature: how it works
What your state legislature controls covers the general powers. This page profiles Washington's legislature.
The basics
Washington's legislature is bicameral: a House of Representatives with 98 members (two per each of 49 legislative districts) and a Senate with 49 members (one per district), so every resident is represented by three legislators total. Representatives serve 2-year terms and senators serve 4-year staggered terms. Neither chamber has term limits. The legislature runs on a hybrid, part-time schedule: members typically devote more than two-thirds of a full-time job to the role but usually keep outside employment. Base pay is roughly $67,000 a year, set independently by the Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials. Sessions follow a fixed cadence: 105 days in odd-numbered years, when the budget is built from scratch, and 60 days in even-numbered years. The 2026 session, a 60-day short session, began January 12 and adjourned March 12.
Who controls it now
Washington has a Democratic trifecta. Heading into the 2026 session, Democrats held a 30-19 majority in the Senate and a 59-39 majority in the House, based on 2024 election results. All 98 House seats and roughly half the Senate seats are up for election in November 2026.
Where to go
- Washington Legislature: https://leg.wa.gov/
- Session overview: https://leg.wa.gov/bills-meetings-and-session/session/