Mercer Island Rep. Judy Clibborn announces retirement from legislature

Clibborn will not run for re-election to her seat in the 41st district in 2018.

By Katie Metzger • March 8, 2018 2:00 pm
Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-41
Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-41

After serving in the House of Representatives since 2003, Rep. Judy Clibborn (D-Mercer Island) announced that she is retiring and will not seek re-election this year.

Clibborn is one of Washington’s longest-serving Democratic legislators and a state transportation leader. She currently serves as House Transportation Chair, where she has navigated many important issues, from car tabs to tolling. She was influential in the passage of the $16 billion transportation package in 2015.

In a press release, Clibborn said is most proud of working in a bipartisan manner with lawmakers from every corner of the state.

“Transportation is about building bridges—and not just physical ones,” Clibborn said. “It’s about listening to each other and connecting each part of our beautiful state to each other part. I’m proud of how we’ve cooperated to improve our highways, ferries, buses and trains during a time of massive population growth in our state. And finally, I want to thank my constituents for the honor.”

Clibborn previously served as mayor of Mercer Island, city council member and executive director of the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce.

Before that, she worked as a registered nurse at Harborview Medical Center, an experience that came to bear when she helped push through legislation that made sure every child in Washington state had access to health care.

Clibborn also championed legislation to help foster children and served as a foster parent herself.

Speaker Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) praised Clibborn’s legacy of public service.

“There are few legislators serving here who have had such an impact on the lives of Washingtonians as has Judy Clibborn,” Chopp said. “In her role as chair of the Transportation Committee, she has crafted budgets that created tens of thousands of public works jobs, improved our roads and highways, invested in transit, and kept our freight systems functioning. Perhaps most importantly, she did all this while working across the aisle in a bipartisan fashion. We in the Legislature will miss her expertise and leadership.”