Elected Experience: Fourteen years in the State Legislature, including a term as Senate Majority Leader.

Other Professional Experience: Business owner, investing in sustainable real estate. Worked for five years at Microsoft (contractor 1995 – 2000) and helped start Washington’s first online high school.

Education: M.B.A. University of Washington, B.A. Whitman College, Lake Washington High School.

Community Service: Bill and his wife Kristin are active in their community and their children’s lives. Over the years, along with serving on boards of 4Culture, Kirkland Boys and Girls Club, and Cascade Land Conservancy, Bill has also coached his daughter’s soccer team and helped his son’s lacrosse club build new sports fields.

Statement: Bill Finkbeiner knows the gridlock and partisan bickering in our State’s Capitol is unacceptable. As the Lieutenant Governor, Bill Finkbeiner will work with both political parties to encourage a more cooperative, less partisan, and less lobbyist-influenced government.

Bill Finkbeiner has the experience to succeed. He served 14 years in the Legislature, including a term as Senate Majority Leader, before returning to private business. Now, he’s bringing his business and political experience forward to push change through the marbled halls of the Capitol.

Some of the reforms are simple, like getting rid of the aisle that separates Republicans and Democrats on the floor of the Senate. Other changes – reducing the number of partisan staff and limiting the influence of lobbyists – are more complicated; but all will make Olympia more open to citizens and less beholden to special interests.

Bill Finkbeiner has won support from both Democrats and Republicans. His endorsements include: Rob McKenna, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Dino Rossi, Slade Gorton, Sam Reed, Washington Conservation Voters, NARAL, Michael Heavey and Larry Springer. Bill is a lifelong Washington resident. He and his wife Kristin (co-founder of MomsRising) and their two children live in Kirkland.