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| Washington State Senate District 7 | ||
| Current incumbent | Shelly Short  | |
| Population | 130,475 | |
| Race | 86.7% White, 3.4% Two or More Races, 2.2% Other Race, 0.8% Asian, 0.8% Black, 5.9% American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | |
| Ethnicity | 94.6% Not Hispanic, 5.4% Hispanic | |
| Voting age | 76.7% age 18 and over | |
Washington's seventh state senate district is represented by Republican Senator Shelly Short.
As of the 2010 census, a total of 130,475 civilians reside within the 11,106.3 square miles of Washington's seventh state senate district. The population per square mile is twelve. The median age of these residents is 43.6. Washington's state senators represent an average of 137,236 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 120,288 residents.
Members of the Washington State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Washington legislators assume office the first day of session.
Section 7 of Article 2 of the Washington State Constitution states, "No person shall be eligible to the legislature who shall not be a citizen of the United States and a qualified voter in the district for which he is chosen."
| State legislators | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $48,731/year | $120/day |
If there is a vacancy in the senate, the Board of County Commissioners where the vacant seat is located has the responsibility to select a replacement. The state central committee of the political party that last held the seat must submit a list of three candidates to the Board of County Commissioners representing the vacant district. A selection must be made within 60 days after the vacancy happened. The person appointed will hold the seat until his or her successor is elected at the next general election.
Elections for the office of Washington State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for August 4, 2020. The filing deadline is May 15, 2020.
Incumbent Shelly Short (R) defeated Karen Hardy (D) in the general election for Washington State Senate District 7 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Shelly Short (R) |
69.0
|
48,042 |
|
|
Karen Hardy (D) |
31.0
|
21,592 | |
|
|
Total votes: 69,634 |
Incumbent Shelly Short and Karen Hardy advanced from the primary for Washington State Senate District 7 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Shelly Short (R) |
67.1
|
30,850 |
| ✔ |
|
Karen Hardy (D) |
32.9
|
15,101 |
|
|
Total votes: 45,951 |
A special election for the position of Washington State Senate District 7 was called for November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on August 1, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 19, 2017.
The seat was vacated by Brian Dansel (R) after he accepted a position of special assistant within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Shelly Short (R) was appointed to fill the seat until a replacement was elected in November.
Karen Hardy (D) and incumbent Shelly Short (R) ran in the top-two primary. Short defeated Hardy in the November 7 general election.
Washington State Senate, District 7, Special Election, 2017
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Shelly Short |
68.3% | 25,444 | |
| Democratic | Karen Hardy | 31.7% | 11,814 | |
| Total Votes | 37,258 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Elections for 25 districts in the Washington State Senate took place in 2014. A blanket primary election took place on August 5, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 17, 2014. Incumbent Brian Dansel (R) and Tony Booth (R) were unopposed in the primary. Booth was defeated by Dansel in the general election.
Washington State Senate, District 7 General Election, 2014
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Dansel Incumbent |
72.2% | 32,702 | |
| Republican | Tony Booth | 27.8% | 12,612 | |
| Total Votes | 45,314 | |||
Brian Dansel (R) won election in the special election for Washington State Senate District 7. The election was for the remaining year of Bob Morton (R)'s term. John Smith (R) was selected to fill Morton's vacancy for the 2013 legislative session. Dansel advanced in the Republican Primary and August 6 and defeated incumbent John Smith (R) in the special election, which took place on November 5.
Washington State Senate, District 7, Special Election, 2013
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian Dansel |
53.6% | 18,873 | |
| Republican | John Smith Incumbent | 46.4% | 16,324 | |
| Total Votes | 35,197 | |||
Elections for the office of Washington State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 17, 2010, and a general election on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Republican Bob Morton defeated Democrat Barbara Mowrey in the general election. Morton and Mowrey were unopposed in the blanket primary election.
Washington State Senate, District 7, General Election, 2010
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bob Morton Incumbent |
74.8% | 39,695 | |
| Democratic | Barbara Mowrey | 25.2% | 13,359 | |
| Total Votes | 53,054 | |||
From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Washington State Senate District 7 raised a total of $441,059. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $40,096 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.
Campaign contributions, Washington State Senate District 7
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | $119,752 | 2 | $59,876 |
| 2012 | $2,800 | 1 | $2,800 |
| 2010 | $122,452 | 2 | $61,226 |
| 2008 | $6,004 | 1 | $6,004 |
| 2006 | $125,352 | 2 | $62,676 |
| 2004 | $4,738 | 1 | $4,738 |
| 2002 | $43,827 | 1 | $43,827 |
| 2000 | $16,134 | 1 | $16,134 |
| Total | $441,059 | 11 | $40,096 |
