2018 Legislature Missed Votes Report, Ours Did Pretty Good

Medical issues and military commitments were responsible for a handful of legislators missing votes this year in the Washington State legislature. Every year, WashingtonVotes.org releases their 'attendance' record. It's lists how many votes were missed by legislators. These votes were final votes on passage or rejection of legislation.

Legislators who missed votes were given an opportunity to respond as to why the absences occurred.

Aside from an occasional 1-3 misses, the majority didn't miss any. Senator Sharon Brown (Kennewick) had a perfect record, Reps. Larry Haler and Brad Klippert only missed one.

Rep. Maureen Walsh (Walla Walla) had a perilous reason for missing some 237 votes. She suffered heart attack, and that treatment plus subsequent setbacks before full recovery put a dent in her schedule. Senator Mike Baumgartner's wife experienced a serious medical emergency in her 20th week of pregnancy, necessitating him being with her in Spokane, missing 174.

Another legislator served his county, Senator Steve Hobbs (D) is in the National Guard, which resulted in exercises and training making him miss 47 votes. Several others who missed 29 votes were bitten by the flu, and advised NOT to make everyone else in the legislature sick. Democratic Rep. Christine Kilduff missed 31, but was in a position where the sudden passing of her mother following an ongoing illness that turned critical  ending with her death.

The only legislators who did not offer explanations for multiple missed votes were all from the West side. They included Senator Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) 17, Rep. Cindy Ryu (D-Shoreline) 13, and Rep. Kristine Lytton (D-Anacortes) with 19.