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Portrait of Chris StearnsPhoto: leg.wa.gov

WA · Officeholder

Chris Stearns

DState Representative · District 47

On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Washington House District 47

Biography

Chris Stearns is a Democratic member of the Washington House of Representatives from District 47-Position 2, where he has served since January 2023, and he is on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot seeking re-election.[1][2] An attorney and former Auburn City Councilmember, he is Speaker Pro Tem of the House.[1][2]

Chris Stearns graduated from The Lawrenceville School in 1982, earned a B.A. with honors in history from Williams College in 1986 and a J.D. from Cornell Law School in 1989.[2] He is Navajo and, according to the House Democrats' biography, served as Democratic counsel for the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources and was appointed by President Bill Clinton as the first Director of Native American Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy.[1] He served two terms as Chair of the Washington State Gambling Commission and was the first Native American on the Auburn City Council.[1] Ballotpedia also lists him as a board member and chairman of the Seattle Indian Health Board.[2]

Stearns took office in the House on January 9, 2023, succeeding Pat Sullivan.[2] He serves on the Rules, Capital Budget, Environment & Energy, and State Government & Tribal Relations committees and chairs the House Members of Color Caucus.[1] The House Democrats' biography lists his legislative priorities as the state's energy system, the environment, good jobs for working families, small business owners, civil rights and tribal sovereignty.[1]

  1. 1.Biography - Chris Stearns · Washington State House Democrats · 2026-10-21 Official record
  2. 2.Chris Stearns · Ballotpedia Reference

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.

Washington House District 47

Chris Stearns is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Washington House District 47 as D. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.

Ballotpedia ↗

Other candidates for this seat

Cobi ClarkCandidateLIBWashington House District 47WashingtonPortrait of Debra EntenmanDebra EntenmanState Representative · District 47DAlso on the 2026 ballot: Washington House District 47WashingtonTed CookeCandidateRWashington House District 47Washington

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned

Where they stood out

Voted with most of their party on all 551 party-divided votes on file.

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

See all their split votes

Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.

HB 1526 · WA HOUSE

Snack bar liquor licenses

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Modifying the snack bar liquor license.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 87–9·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 1701 · WA HOUSE

Liquor licensee premises

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Authorizing multiple liquor licensees to have licensed premises within a facility owned and leased out by another liquor licensee or person.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 89–7·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 1795 · WA HOUSE

Student restraint, isolation

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Addressing restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 58–37·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 1941 · WA HOUSE

Agricultural coops/cannabis

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Authorizing agricultural cooperatives for cannabis producers.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 69–26·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 2034 · WA HOUSE

LEOFF 1 restatement

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Concerning termination and restatement of plan 1 of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 50–46·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 2215 · WA HOUSE

Fuels/climate commitment act

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Concerning climate commitment act compliance obligations for fuels supplied or otherwise sold into Washington.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 57–38·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 5998 · WA HOUSE

Operating budget, supp.

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Recommended by the Conference Committee

Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 54–43·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6005 · WA HOUSE

Transportation budget, supp.

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Recommended by the Conference Committee

Making supplemental transportation appropriations for the 2025-2027 fiscal biennium.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 69–26·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6231 · WA HOUSE

Data center equipment/taxes

NoVOTED

Motion: 2663 Orcutt Pg 2 Ln 25

Removing a tax exemption for the replacement of equipment for data centers.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Failed 47–50·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6231 · WA HOUSE

Data center equipment/taxes

YesVOTED

Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage

Removing a tax exemption for the replacement of equipment for data centers.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 51–46·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗

Showing 10 of 857 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.