State Senator Rebecca Saldaña has announced she will not seek re-election to her 37th District seat in the Washington State Senate.

Instead, she plans to run for a seat on the King County Council — a move that opens up a contest for representation in parts of South Seattle, Renton and adjacent neighborhoods she has served since 2016.

Saldaña, a Democrat first appointed to the Senate after Pramila Jayapal vacated the seat, has been a vocal advocate for labour rights, environmental justice, housing affordability, and immigrant protections during her tenure.

Her decision comes as she seeks to shift her public service focus to the King County level, where she aims to continue her work shaping local policy and community investment.

Her departure will make the 37th District Senate seat — which covers diverse urban and suburban areas including Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill and parts of Renton — an open contest in the upcoming 2026 election cycle.

Local political figures are already discussing potential candidates to succeed her, and early attention has turned to Representative Chipalo Street as a likely contender.

The announcement marks the close of nearly a decade of legislative service for Saldaña in Olympia.

Her move to seek a county-level seat reflects a broader trend of experienced state lawmakers transitioning to regional governance roles, where they may exert direct influence on land use, transit, social services and community development issues more closely tied to their constituencies.