(The Center Square) – The Kitsap County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday appointed Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, to represent the 23rd Legislative District in the Washington State Senate.
Hansen replaces Christine Rolfes, who announced on June 20 that she was stepping down to fill the vacant District 1 seat on the board. Her resignation from the Senate was effective on Aug. 15.
The 23rd Legislative District includes the Kitsap County communities of Hansville, Kingston, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island, Keyport, Silverdale and East Bremerton.
“I’m grateful to be able to continue serving our community in the Senate,” Hansen said in a same-day news release. “It’s been an extraordinary honor to serve in the House for the past decade and open up opportunities for people in Kitsap County to get trained for good jobs that support their families. The partnerships we have built with Olympic College, Western Washington University, our apprenticeships and more have transformed people’s lives, and I look forward to continuing to work on these issues in the Senate.”
Hansen has chaired the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee since 2020
“I am pleased with this appointment,” Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, said in the news release. “Sen. Hansen is an experienced leader and has been a pleasure to work with over the years on a variety of issues. He is someone who will be able to step right in and get to work in the Senate on behalf of the people of the 23rd Legislative District.”
Rolfes’ four-year Senate term began in January 2021. Hansen will serve out the remainder of the term through the 2024 election.
