Derek Stanford was unanimously appointed to the vacant Senate seat in the 1st Legislative District, opening up a seat in the state House of Representatives.

A joint meeting of the King and Snohomish county councils took place in Bothell on July 1. Stanford replaced Guy Palumbo, who resigned in May to return to Amazon as a director of public policy for the state.

“I’m really thankful for the three years I had to represent the people of the 1st District,” said Palumbo. “I have a new-found appreciation for the sacrifices that comes with public service.”

Hillary Moralez, chair of the Snohomish County Democrats, and Linda Tosti-Lane, a long-time activist, were the two other nominees for the open Senate seat.

Stanford (D-Bothell) was first elected to the House in 2010 and has since been re-elected four times. The Washington state Legislature will begin on the second Monday in January, 2020 and meet for 60 days.

“I believe that everyone deserves an equitable opportunity to pursue their dreams,” said Stanford in a release from the Senate Democratic Caucus. “Together, we can tackle the greatest challenges we face and leave our state in better shape for our children. I look forward to continuing this work in the Senate.”

Following Stanford’s appointment to the Senate, he immediately submitted his resignation from the House, allowing the two county councils to vote for his replacement.

The open seat for the House was then debated among three candidates. Bothell’s Deputy Mayor Davina Duerr defeated Moralez and Darshan Rauniyar in a diversified vote by the two councils.

Duerr has spent much of her time in office working toward improved transportation on I-405 in order to minimize congestion between Bothell and Lynnwood. She intends to continue the effort to improve tolls and public transportation during her future time in Olympia.

Derek Stanford is sworn into the open Senate seat just after being appointed by the two county councils. Madeline Coats/staff photo