Dave Upthegrove
Dave Upthegrove | |
|---|---|
| Public Lands Commissioner-elect of Washington | |
| Assuming office January 15, 2025 | |
| Governor | Bob Ferguson (elect) |
| Succeeding | Hilary Franz |
| Member of King County Council from the 5th district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Julia Patterson |
| Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 33rd district | |
| In office January 7, 2002 – December 15, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Karen Keiser |
| Succeeded by | Mia Gregerson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 3, 1971 Burien, Washington, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Chad |
| Education | University of Colorado, Boulder (BA) University of Idaho (GrCert) |
| Website | County Council website |
David Upthegrove (born May 3, 1971) is an American politician. He is a member of the King County Council, representing the 5th district since 2014. A member of the Democratic Party, he was a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 33rd district from 2002 to 2013.[1]
Upthegrove was elected as Commissioner of Public Lands for Washington in 2024, beating Republican candidate Jaime Herrera Beutler.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Dave Upthegrove is a descendant of the German Op den Graeff family of Dutch origin.[3] He is a direct descendant of Herman op den Graeff, Mennonite leader of Krefeld, and his grandson Abraham op den Graeff, one of the founders of Germantown and in 1688, signer of the first protest against slavery in colonial America.
Dave Upthegrove was born and raised in King County, Washington, and attended Lakeside School in Seattle. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental conservation from the University of Colorado Boulder and a graduate certificate in energy policy planning from the University of Idaho.[4]
Career
[edit]Upthegrove was appointed to the Washington House of Representatives in January 2002 and was elected to a two-year term in November 2002. He was then re-elected at two-year intervals until running for King County Council.[citation needed]
While serving in the Washington House of Representatives, Upthegrove was chair of the Environment Committee and also served on the Local Government and Transportation Committee. He is a former chair of the Select Committee on Puget Sound. He has been involved in education policy, sponsoring and passing legislation to improve the teaching of civics and to better meet the needs of recent immigrant students. The Washington Conservation Voters called Upthegrove "a leader on environmental issues and a rising star in the House." Upthegrove led high-profile environmental initiatives to clean up Puget Sound and to clean up soil at schools and day cares contaminated by a local Asarco copper smelter.[citation needed]
Upthegrove was elected to the King County Council in 2013 from District 5, which encompasses the southern suburbs of Seattle, including SeaTac, Kent, and Des Moines.[5] He replaced Julia Patterson, a three-term incumbent who decided not to run for a fourth term.[6] Upthegrove was appointed to the Sound Transit Board in January 2014.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Upthegrove and his husband Chad live in Des Moines, Washington.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Dunn, Dembowski, Upthegrove leading in King County Council races; Constantine headed for second term". Seattle Times, November 5, 2013.
- ^ "Upthegrove elected WA lands commissioner". The Seattle Times. November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
- ^ Prof. William I. Hull: William Penn and the Dutch Quaker Migration to Pennsylvania (2018)
- ^ "Project Vote Smart: Rep. Dave Upthegrove". Retrieved July 28, 2008.
- ^ Gutman, David (October 20, 2021). "Lived experience vs. legislative experience as Shukri Olow challenges Dave Upthegrove for King County Council". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- ^ Heffter, Emily (April 26, 2013). "King County Councilmember Julia Patterson will not seek re-election". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- ^ "King County appoints new members to Sound Transit Board" (Press release). Sound Transit. January 17, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- ^ "Dave Upthegrove's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
External links
[edit]
Current members of the King County Council | ||
|---|---|---|
|  | |
- 1971 births
- 21st-century American LGBTQ people
- American gay politicians
- Democratic Party members of the Washington House of Representatives
- 21st-century members of the Washington State Legislature
- King County Councillors
- LGBTQ state legislators in Washington (state)
- Living people
- People from Burien, Washington
- University of Colorado alumni
- Washington (state) Commissioners of Public Lands