Age in the 2025 Washington General Assembly
Photo courtesy of the Washington State Capitol.
The State of Washington held its elections for the Washington House of Representatives and Washington State Senate on November 5th, 2024. In January 2025, the Washington State Legislature officially convened for its first session. Among the members elected, six legislators qualify as Young Elected Leaders, defined as those aged 35 or younger on Election Day 2024. Below is a map illustrating the presence of these young representatives and senators within the Washington General Assembly.
Washington Demographic Background in the 2024 Election
Preliminary estimates from CIRCLE at Tufts University indicate that 42% of young people aged 18–29 voted in the 2024 election, with turnout surpassing 50% in key battleground states. Nearly 50 million young citizens were eligible to vote nationwide, including over 8 million who turned 18 since the 2022 midterms.
According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials surpassed Baby Boomers in 2020 to become the largest generation in the U.S., making up 31% of the population, followed closely by Boomers at 30.9%. Generation X accounts for 28%, while the Silent Generation makes up just 9.9%.
The Washington House of Representatives 2025 Legislative Session
Below is information covering age dynamics in the recently elected members of the Washington House of Representatives
- The average age among Washington House members was 52.51 years
- The youngest Representative, Darya Farivar, was born in 1999
- The oldest Representative, Larry S. Springer, was born in 1947
- 6 Representatives are Young Elected Leaders age 35 or younger as of Election Day 2024
Generational Breakdown
Within the Washington House of Representatives, most representatives come from the Millennial, Generation X, or the Baby Boomer generations. Scroll below to view the generations represented in the Washington House of Representatives.
Partisanship in the Washington House of Representatives
The chart below provides a further breakdown of the current partisan composition of the 2025 Washington House of Representatives. Each dot represents a single member, colored by both party affiliation and whether the legislator qualifies as a Young Elected Leader (YEL)—defined as age 35 or younger at the time of the election. This format provides a visual snapshot of generational and partisan distribution within the chamber, highlighting how younger legislators are positioned across party lines.
Partisan differences in the Washington House extend beyond ideology to include notable generational contrasts. As shown in the visual below, Democratic members have an average age of 50.96, while Republicans have a higher average age of 54.86. These disparities may reflect broader patterns in political recruitment, generational turnover, and the types of candidates emerging in recent election cycles. 
Young Elected Representatives – Washington House of Representatives
Following the 2024 State Legislative Elections in Washington, six members aged 35 or under were elected to the Washington House of Representatives. Below are all six members, ordered from youngest to oldest, along with information about their local districts and party affiliations.
Young Elected Representatives — Washington House of Representatives (Age ≤ 35)
| Name | District | Birth Year (Age on Election Day 2024) | First Elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Darya Farivar (D) | District 46 —
Seattle, WA |
1998 (Age 26) | 2022 |
 |
Osman Salahuddin (D) | District 48 —
Rainier Beach, WA |
1996 (Age 28) | 2024 |
 |
Adam Bernbaum (D) | District 24 —
Port Angeles, WA |
1993 (Age 31) | 2024 |
 |
Adison Richards (D) | District 26 —
Everett, WA |
1992 (Age 32) | 2020 |
 |
Clyde Shavers (D) | District 10 —
Addy, WA |
1990 (Age 34) | 2024 |
 |
Sharlett Mena (D) | District 29 —
Tacoma, WA |
1989 (Age 35) | 2022 |
Photos Courtesy of the Washington House member roster
Gender in the Washington House of Representatives
The Washington House of Representatives reflects a range of age and gender dynamics that help shape the composition of the state’s legislative body. In Washington, men make up a larger share of the chamber than women. Across all members, 53.06% are men, while women make up 46.94%. For female representatives, the average age at the time of the election was 53.66; for men, it was 51.51. Of the 6 Young Elected Leaders, 2 are female, and 4 are male.
When examining both gender and party affiliation, additional age differences emerge within the Washington House of Representatives. Republican men and women have a higher average age when compared to Democrats. These patterns show that age representation in the Washington House of Representatives varies by both gender and partisan alignment, highlighting differing pathways to political office across demographic groups.
Race and Ethnicity in the Washington House of Representatives
The racial and ethnic composition of the Washington House of Representatives varies across generations. In 2024, younger cohorts exhibit greater diversity, although the chamber as a whole remains predominantly White. The table below shows the distribution of each generation.
Race and Ethnicity in the Washington House of Representatives
| Ethnicity | Generation Z 1997–2012 |
Millennial Generation 1981–1996 |
Generation X 1965–1980 |
Boomer Generation 1946–1964 |
Full Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific American | 0 (0%) | 1 (3.57%) | 3 (7.89%) | 2 (6.45%) | 6 (6.12%) |
| Black / African American | 0 (0%) | 4 (14.29%) | 6 (15.79%) | 2 (6.45%) | 12 (12.24%) |
| Hispanic/Latino | 0 (0%) | 3 (10.71%) | 1 (2.63%) | 2 (6.45%) | 6 (6.12%) |
| Indian/Native American | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (2.63%) | 1 (3.23%) | 2 (2.04%) |
| Other | 1 (100%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (1.02%) |
| Two or more ethnicities | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (5.26%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (2.04%) |
| White / Caucasian | 0 (0%) | 20 (71.43%) | 25 (65.79%) | 24 (77.42%) | 69 (70.41%) |
| Total (Percent of Chamber) | 1 (1.02%) | 28 (28.57%) | 38 (38.78%) | 31 (31.63%) | 98 (100%) |
The Washington Senate
Below is information covering age dynamics in the recently elected Washington Senate
- The average age of Washington State Senate members is 59.37 years
- The youngest Senator is Joe Nguyen, born in 1983
- The oldest Senator is Lisa Wellman, born in 1943
- No member of the Washington State Senate is a Young Elected Leader, aged 35 or younger as of Election Day 2024
Young Elected Senators in the Washington State Senate
Following the 2024 State Legislative Elections in Washington, no member aged 35 or under was elected to (and currently serves in) the Washington State Senate.
Partisanship in the Washington State Senate
In the Washington State Senate, 19 senators are Republicans, and 30 are Democrats. The mean age of Democratic state senators after the 2024 election was 56.35, while the mean age of Republican state senators was 63.98. Each generation has a different partisan makeup; overall, the Washington State Senate is overwhelmingly composed of Baby Boomers and Generation X. Below is the breakdown of party composition by generation in the Washington State Senate.
Gender in the Washington Senate
The generational makeup of the Washington Senate reveals notable gender dynamics. Overall, men are overrepresented across all age groups, except among millennials, where women are in the majority. These patterns indicate that gender representation varies across generations, with women being represented in every generational cohort.
Race and Ethnicity in the Washington Senate
The racial and ethnic composition of the Washington Senate shows generational variation. The table below presents the distribution by generation.
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the Washington Senate
| Ethnicity | Millennial Generation 1981–1996 |
Generation X 1965–1980 |
Boomer Generation 1946–1964 |
Silent Generation 1928–1945 |
Full Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific American | 1 (20%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (4.55%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (4.08%) |
| Black/African American | 1 (20%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (4.55%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (4.08%) |
| Hispanic/Latino | 0 (0%) | 4 (20%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 4 (8.16%) |
| Indian/Native American | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (4.55%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (2.04%) |
| Other | 1 (20%) | 1 (5%) | 1 (4.55%) | 0 (0%) | 3 (6.12%) |
| White/Caucasian | 2 (40%) | 15 (75%) | 18 (81.82%) | 2 (100%) | 37 (75.51%) |
| Total (Percent of Chamber) | 5 (10.2%) | 20 (40.82%) | 22 (44.9%) | 2 (4.08%) | 49 (100%) |
The full Washington State Senate comprises 49 seats.
Notes
The Young Elected Leaders Project applies the generational categorization of the Pew Research Center:
- Silent Generation: 1928 – 1945
- Baby Boomer Generation: 1946 – 1964
- Generation X: 1965 – 1980
- Millennial Generation: 1981 – 1996
- Generation Z: 1997 – 2012
This analysis is based on data from the most recent state legislative election in Washington, which took place on November 5th 2024.
Citation Guideline
In referencing the Young Elected Leaders Project in publication please use the following language: “The Young Elected Leaders Project is housed at the Center for Youth Political Participation at The Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University – New Brunswick.”
Bibliographic Citation For this document
Author: Young Elected Leaders Project
Corresponding Authors: George D. Quinn, Adil Khan
Year: 2024
Title: Age in the 2025 Washington General Assembly