Washington's 1st congressional district encompasses the majority of Whatcom, Skagit, and Snohomish counties, as well as nearly one-third of King County. The eastern edge of the district follows county lines from the Canada–US border down to the I-90 corridor. Then it follows I-90 west to West Lake Sammamish, and from there north to I-5. The western border follows the I-5 corridor north to Bellingham, then along the coast to Canada.

Washington's 1st congressional district
From 2013 to 2023 From 2023 to 2033 Interactive map of district boundaries (centered on Snohomish County). In the 2020 redistricting cycle, the district is moved out of Whatcom and Skagit counties.
Representative	Suzan DelBene D–Medina
Population (2021)	801,211
Median household income	$113,054[1]
Ethnicity	83.8% White 7.9% Asian 4.3% Hispanic 1.8% Black 0.9% Native American 0.6% other
Cook PVI	D+8[2]

The 2012 redistricting drastically changed the 1st district. Much of this area was previously part of the 2nd district, but in the new map, the 2nd has shrunk significantly. Jay Inslee (D) was the representative of the 1st district until resigning to run for governor of the state, but most of the district has been represented by Rick Larsen (D), of the 2nd district, in the past.

Soon after the 2012 general election polls closed, the Seattle Times and national news organizations called the district for Democrat Suzan DelBene, defeating Republican John Koster with a margin that the Seattle Times called "unexpectedly decisive",[3] reflecting the difficulty of predicting the vote in the new district. The certified results confirmed her significant margin.[4] DelBene also won the election for the remainder of Inslee's term in the old first district, and after being sworn in on November 13, 2012.

In presidential elections, the 1st district has leaned Democratic. Under the old boundaries, Al Gore and John Kerry narrowly carried the district in 2000 and 2004, with 48% and 51% of the vote, respectively. In 2008, Barack Obama swept the district with 55.60% of the vote, while John McCain received 42%. Similarly, Hillary Clinton won the district in 2016 with 54% of the vote over Donald Trump with 38%, and in 2020 Joe Biden polled 59% to 38% for Donald Trump.

Pre-2012 redistricting history

Prior to the 2012 redistricting, the district encompassed part of Northwest Seattle and largely suburban areas north and east of Seattle, including Shoreline, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Kenmore, Bothell, Kirkland, and Redmond, as well as Bainbridge Island and part of the Kitsap Peninsula. Until March 20, 2012, it was represented by Democrat Jay Inslee from Bainbridge Island. Inslee resigned to focus on his run for Governor of the state;[5] the seat remained vacant until the special election that coincided with the November 2012 general election.[6][7]

The former House seat of powerful U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson, the district was a swing district throughout much of the 1990s, changing hands and parties three times in four elections. Before the election of future U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell in 1992, the district had been in Republican hands for 40 years (and 42 of the previous 46 years). Since the 1998 election, when Inslee was first elected, the growing Democratic trend in the Seattle area enabled him to turn it into a fairly safe seat. He had been re-elected six times, with little difficulty, most recently in 2010.

Recent election results from presidential races

List of members representing the district

Beginning in 1909, members were elected from districted seats, instead of at-large statewide. (See Washington's at-large congressional district.)

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
District created March 4, 1909
William E. Humphrey	Republican	March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1917	61st 62nd 63rd 64th	Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
John Franklin Miller	Republican	March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1931	65th 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st	Elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Lost renomination.
Ralph Horr	Republican	March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933	72nd	Elected in 1930. Lost renomination.
Marion Zioncheck	Democratic	March 4, 1933 – August 7, 1936	73rd 74th	Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Died.
Vacant		August 7, 1936 – January 3, 1937	74th
Warren Magnuson	Democratic	January 3, 1937 – December 13, 1944	75th 76th 77th 78th	Elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Retired to run for U.S. senator and resigned when elected.
Vacant		December 13, 1944 – January 3, 1945	78th
Hugh De Lacy	Democratic	January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947	79th	Elected in 1944. Lost re-election.
Homer Jones	Republican	January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949	80th	Elected in 1946. Lost re-election.
Hugh Mitchell	Democratic	January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953	81st 82nd	Elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Retired to run for Governor of Washington.
Thomas Pelly	Republican	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1973	83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd	Elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Retired.
Joel Pritchard	Republican	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1985	93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th	Elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Retired.
John Miller	Republican	January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1993	99th 100th 101st 102nd	Elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Retired.
Maria Cantwell	Democratic	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995	103rd	Elected in 1992. Lost re-election.
Rick White	Republican	January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1999	104th 105th	Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Lost re-election.
Jay Inslee	Democratic	January 3, 1999 – March 20, 2012	106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th	Elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Resigned to run for Governor of Washington.
Vacant		March 20, 2012 – November 6, 2012	112th
Suzan DelBene	Democratic	November 6, 2012 – Present	112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th	Elected to finish Inslee's term. Elected on the same day in 2012 to the next term. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022.

Recent election results

2010

2012 short term (2010 boundaries)

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

See also

• 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington
• 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington
• 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington

Notes

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

External links

• Washington State Redistricting Commission
• Find your new congressional district: a searchable map, Seattle Times, January 13, 2012