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Portrait of Shelly ShortPhoto: leg.wa.gov

WA · Officeholder

Shelly Short

RState Senator · District 7

On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: Washington Senate District 7

Biography

Shelly Short is a Republican member of the Washington State Senate representing District 7, where she took office in 2017, and she is on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot seeking re-election against Ronald McCoy of the Independent Party.[1][2] She previously served in the state House from 2009 to 2017, including as Minority Caucus Vice Chair and Minority Caucus Leader.[1]

Shelly Short studied liberal arts at Spokane Community College from 1980 to 1981 and international business at Eastern Washington University from 1981 to 1982.[1] She worked as a legal secretary and paralegal in a series of law offices between 1985 and 1994.[1] Short then worked for Congressman George Nethercutt from 1994 to 2004 as a field coordinator, as deputy district director for Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers from 2004 to 2006, and as senior legislative assistant to State Representative Joel Kretz from 2006 to 2008.[1]

Short served as a Republican precinct committee officer in Stevens County and as secretary of the Seventh District Legislative Committee from 1997 to 2003 and of the Stevens County Republican Central Committee from 1999 to 2005.[1] She represented District 7, Position 1, in the Washington House of Representatives from 2009 to 2017, then moved to the Senate in 2017.[1]

  1. 1.Shelly Short - Ballotpedia · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.Washington State Senate elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia · Ballotpedia Reference

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

Washington Senate District 7

Shelly Short is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Washington Senate District 7 as R. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.

Ballotpedia ↗

Other candidates for this seat

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 Republicans voted. How topics are assigned

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 9 of 384 party-divided votes on file.

Most often on: Climate & energy (3), Jobs & cost of living (2), Housing & rent (2)

  • Low-income energy assistance

    What it does: Establishing a statewide low-income energy assistance program.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 30–0, Republicans 5–13

    Mar 6, 2026Official record ↗

  • Waste to energy facilities

    What it does: Concerning fair treatment of waste to energy facilities under the climate commitment act.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 30–0, Republicans 9–10

    Mar 4, 2026Official record ↗

  • Affordable housing/REET

    What it does: Providing a real estate excise tax exemption for the sale of qualified affordable housing.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 29–1, Republicans 9–10

    Feb 28, 2026Official record ↗

  • Pharmacist prescriptive auth

    What it does: Expanding prescriptive authority for pharmacists.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 29–1, Republicans 9–10

    Feb 17, 2026Official record ↗

  • Wildfire mitigation grants

    What it does: Creating a wildfire mitigation grant program.

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 30–0, Republicans 7–11

    Feb 13, 2026Official record ↗

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 1295 · WA SENATE

Reading and writing literacy

YesVOTED

Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Using evidence-based instructional practices in reading and writing literacy for public elementary students.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 48–1·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 5998 · WA SENATE

Operating budget, supp.

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Recommended by Conference Committee

Making 2025-2027 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 28–21·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6228 · WA SENATE

Prescription drugs/taxes

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House

Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Removing a tax exemption for the warehousing and reselling of prescription drugs and providing tax relief for critical access pharmacies.)

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 26–23·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6260 · WA SENATE

Public education funding

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House

Implementing efficiencies and programming changes in public education.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 26–23·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6347 · WA SENATE

Estate tax rates

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House

Undoing the recent changes to the estate tax. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Undoing certain changes to the estate tax.)

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 39–10·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6354 · WA SENATE

Electric vehicles

YesVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House

Advancing transportation electrification by expanding access to electric vehicles already being sold in Washington and increasing associated funding.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 47–2·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
SB 6355 · WA SENATE

Electric transmission system

NoVOTED

Motion: Final Passage as Amended by the House

Concerning the electric transmission system.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 32–17·Substantive·Mar 12, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 2089 · WA SENATE

Taxes on loan interest

NoVOTED

Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage

Supporting wildfire mitigation by modifying RCW 82.04.29005, concerning taxes on loan interest.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 27–21·Substantive·Mar 11, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 2487 · WA SENATE

Insurer taxes

NoVOTED

Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage

Concerning taxes imposed on insurers operating within the state.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 27–22·Substantive·Mar 11, 2026Roll call ↗
HB 2681 · WA SENATE

Cannabis license fees

NoVOTED

Motion: 3rd Reading & Final Passage

Modifying cannabis producer, processor, and retailer license fees. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning cannabis license fees.)

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 29–20·Substantive·Mar 11, 2026Roll call ↗

Showing 10 of 678 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.