Debra Lekanoff | |
---|---|
Member of the WashingtonHouseofRepresentatives from the 40th district | |
Assumed office January 14, 2019 Servingwith Alex Ramel | |
Preceded by | Kristine Lytton |
Personal details | |
Born | Yakutat,Alaska,U.S. [1] | February 26,1971
Political party | Democratic |
Debra E. Lekanoff (born February 26,1971) is a Democratic member of the Washington Legislature representing the State's 40th House district for position 1. She is a member of the Tlingit tribe and was credited with being the first female tribal member to serve in the Washington House of Representatives. [2] [3] However,Lois Stratton was actually the first female tribal member to serve in the Washington House of Representatives,starting her first term in 1979, [4] [5] making Lekanoff the second female tribal member to serve in this position.
Lekanoff won the election on 6 November 2018 from the platform of Democratic Party. She secured sixty-seven percent of the vote while her closest rival Republican Michael Petrish secured thirty-three percent. [6]
Lekanoff was the head sponsor of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's and People's Alert System,the first nationwide alert system for missing Indigenous people in the United States (House Bill 1725). On 31 March 2022,Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed six bills into law,two of which focus on helping missing Indigenous people that will take effect June 9. [7]
Lekanoff is a member of the Aleut and Tlingit tribe of Washington State. [8]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Alex Ramel | 7,684 | 19.13 | |
Democratic | Debra Lekanoff | 11,323 | 28.19 | |
Republican | Michael Petrish | 8,446 | 21.03 | |
Republican | Daniel Miller | 2,686 | 6.69 | |
Democratic | Rud Browne | 7,394 | 18.41 | |
Democratic | Tom Pasma | 2,629 | 6.55 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Debra Lekanoff | 48,153 | 67.02 | |
Republican | Michael Petrish | 23,692 | 32.98 |