Past Senate Presidents
The Lieutenant Governor serves as the President of the Washington State Senate.
History of Washington's lieutenant governors
The Lieutenant Governor of Washington is elected statewide. They are the President of the Senate and also serve the state as acting governor in the governor's absence. The Lieutenant Governor, first in line of succession, is elected to a 4-year term that coincides with the term of the President of the United States.
Since the beginning of statehood, 16 officials have served in this important and unique state office. Three have moved into the role of Governor following the death of the elected governor.
Before Washington became a state on November 11, 1889, 10 men served as Territorial Secretary of State. They were responsible for acting in the absence of the elected governor but did not have the right of succession.
Current and historical Presidents of the Senate
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Name | Tenure |
---|---|
Denny Heck | 2020-Current |
Cyrus Habib | 2016-2020 |
Brad Owen | 1993-1998 |
Joel Pritchard | 1989-1997 |
John A. Cherberg | 1957-1989 |
Emmett T. Anderson | 1953-1957 |
Victor A. Meyers | 1933-1953 |
John Arthur Gellatly | 1929-1933 |
W. Lon Johnson | 1925-1929 |
William (Wee) J. Coyle | 1921-1925 |
Louis F. Hart | 1913-1919 |
Marion E. Hay | 1909-March 1909 |
Charles E. Coon | 1905-1909 |
Henry McBride | 1901-December 1901 |
Thurston Daniels | 1897-1901 |
F. H. Luce | 1893-1897 |
Charles E. Laughton | 1889-1893 |
Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck
Our current Lieutenant Governor is Denny Heck. Learn more about his work across our state on his webpage.