June Robinson, a Democrat who chairs the Washington State Senate Ways & Means Committee, is running for reelection to represent District 38 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The seat is contested. Republican Brad Bender is also running.

District 38 covers parts of Snohomish County, including portions of Everett. Robinson has held the Senate seat since 2020, according to her legislative biography. She previously served as a state representative for District 38 from 2013 to 2020.

On her campaign website, Robinson says she brings a public health background to the Legislature and describes herself as one of the only public health professionals serving in Olympia.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: Washington State Senate, District 38
  • Current role: State senator, District 38 (2020–present); chair, Senate Ways & Means Committee; member, Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee
  • Education: Bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware; master's degree in public health from the University of Michigan (1988)
  • Family: Mother of two adult children, Colin and Garret, according to her campaign website
  • Hometown: Raised on a family dairy farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Experience and public service

Robinson's career before the Legislature centered on public health and housing, according to her legislative biography and campaign materials.

After college, Robinson said she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Jamaica for three years as a public health nutritionist. She later held a leadership position at Migrant Health Promotion and at the Community Health Center of Snohomish County, according to her campaign website.

She worked as a health policy analyst at the Snohomish County Health Department, according to her legislative biography. She also served as executive director of the Housing Consortium of Everett and Snohomish County from 2006 to 2012 and as a program manager at Public Health Seattle & King County starting in 2012. Robinson has also worked at the Sno-Isle Library System, according to her campaign website.

On the issues

The following positions are stated by Robinson on her campaign website and in responses collected by BallotReady.

Budget and taxes: Robinson says she developed expertise in the state budget while serving in the House. She says she will continue to reform what she calls the state's regressive tax system and close loopholes so the state can invest in communities.

Education: Robinson says she secured $90 million to add nurses and counselors in schools. She says she worked with the Everett School District to provide additional programming for at-risk youth and is fighting for apprenticeship and job training programs. She says she is committed to securing new revenue to reduce class sizes and to finding a way to provide more competitive teacher pay.

Health care and reproductive rights: Robinson says she will work to protect the right to an abortion in Washington and build pathways for people in neighboring states who need to travel to the state for reproductive care. She says she supported Senate Bill 5395, which brought medically accurate, consent-focused sex education to Washington public schools.

Economy and jobs: Robinson says she will work to create family-wage jobs and fight for a competitive living wage. She says she wants local businesses to have the support and resources they need.

Environment and transportation: Robinson says she supports investments in roads, parks and public transportation. She says she will work to reduce gridlock by passing a comprehensive transportation package and to protect the environment and create more parks and open space.

Endorsements

Robinson lists endorsements from more than two dozen organizations on her campaign endorsements page, including the AFL-CIO, the Washington Education Association PAC, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, the Sierra Club's Washington State Chapter, the Washington Housing Alliance Action Fund, the Alliance for Gun Responsibility Victory Fund, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, the Snohomish & Island County Labor Council and the 38th LD Democrats.