Longtime lawmaker from Olympia announces his retirement from the Legislature
A longtime Democratic lawmaker who represents Olympia announced Tuesday that he would be retiring after his term ends in January 2025.
Sen. Sam Hunt was elected to the Senate in 2016 after serving as a Washington state Representative since 2001.
“The time has come to let somebody else face the challenge of being a state senator,” Hunt said in a news release. “I would like to thank the many legislators with whom I have served, as well as the bright and dedicated staff who enable the Legislature to do its work. Without civility among members working together and the excellent staff, Washington would not be in the great shape we find it today.”
Before serving as an elected official, Hunt began as a Senate staffer in 1980. Hunt also worked for former Washington Gov. Booth Gardner and the Department of Information Services, which is now part of the Department of Enterprise Services.
Hunt served on a variety of committees during his tenure, including House Appropriations, Natural Resources, Rules, Labor, and K-12 Education committees and Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education, and Ways and Means.
The Senator noted that he was “particularly proud” that during his time as chair of the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee and as chair of the Senate State Government and Elections Committee that Washington’s elections became the “most secure, accurate, and accessible election system in the country” with voting reforms such as mail-in voting, election day registration and secure ballot drop boxes.
During his time in office, Hunt also sponsored the legislation that switched Washington from a caucus system to primary system for presidential elections.
In a phone interview with McClatchy, Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, said that Hunt took her under his wings when she was elected to office in 2016 and that Hunt will be missed in the Legislature.
“His institutional knowledge is phenomenal,” she said.
Doglio also told McClatchy that she will not be running for the open seat left by Hunt.
Rep. Jessica Bateman, D-Olympia, said in a social media post Tuesday that she first met Hunt when she was working as an organizer on Initiative 1163. Bateman said that Hunt has “been a stalwart champion of public education and voting rights.”
“Our state is better because of his service and we owe him a debt of gratitude,” said Bateman.
Olympia voters will decide in November who to elect to replace the Senator.
