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Shelly Short

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Shelly Short
Republican Party
Candidate, Washington State Senate District 7
Washington State Senate District 7
Tenure
2017 - Present
Term ends
2027
Years in position
9
Prior offices:
Washington House of Representatives District 7-Position 1
Years in office: 2009 - 2017
Compensation
Base salary
$60,191/year
Per diem
$206/day
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 8, 2022
Next election
August 4, 2026
Personal
Religion
Christian: Catholic
Contact
Official website
Campaign website
Personal Facebook
Personal LinkedIn

Shelly Short (Republican Party) is a member of the Washington State Senate, representing District 7. She assumed office in 2017. Her current term ends on January 11, 2027.

Short (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the Washington State Senate to represent District 7. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on August 4, 2026.[source]

Short previously served in the Washington House of Representatives, representing District 7-Position 1 from 2009 to 2017. In the state House, Short served as Minority Caucus Vice Chair before serving as Minority Caucus Leader.

Biography

Short studied liberal arts at Spokane Community College from 1980 to 1981. She then studied international business at Eastern Washington University from 1981 to 1982.

Short was a legal secretary for McMullin and McMullin from 1985 to 1987. She then worked for Richard Sperling, Attorney at Law as a legal secretary/office assistant from 1987 to 1988. She worked as a paralegal for University Legal Assistance, Sims, Liesche, Newell, Maxey Law Offices, and Robert Fischer, Attorney at Law from 1988 to 1989, 1990 to 1991, 1991 to 1992, and 1992 to 1994, respectively. Short worked for Congressman George Nethercutt from 1994 to 2004 as a Field Coordinator. She then worked as Deputy District Director for Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers from 2004 to 2006. From 2006 to 2008, she was Senior Legislative Assistant for State Representative Joel Kretz.

Short was a Republican Precinct Committee Officer for Wellpinit, Stevens County Republican Central Committee from 1992 to 1994. She then served the Seventh District Legislative Committee as a secretary from 1997 to 2003. She was also a secretary for the Stevens County Republican Central Committee from 1999 to 2005. Short served as a Republican Precinct Committee Officer for Addy, Stevens County Republican Central Committee during this time as well.[1]

Committee assignments

2023-2024

Short was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Short was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Short was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Washington committee assignments, 2017
• Agriculture, Water, Trade, and Economic Development
• Energy, Environment & Telecommunications
• Local Government, Chair

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Short served on the following committees:

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Short served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Short served on the following committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Short served on the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2026

See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on August 4, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Washington State Senate District 7

Incumbent Shelly Short is running in the primary for Washington State Senate District 7 on August 4, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Shelly Short
Shelly Short (R)

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

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Endorsements

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2022

See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Washington State Senate District 7

Incumbent Shelly Short won election in the general election for Washington State Senate District 7 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Shelly Short
Shelly Short (R)
 
96.9
 
51,661
 Other/Write-in votes
 
3.1
 
1,638

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 53,299
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Washington State Senate District 7

Incumbent Shelly Short advanced from the primary for Washington State Senate District 7 on August 2, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Shelly Short
Shelly Short (R)
 
96.3
 
33,274
 Other/Write-in votes
 
3.7
 
1,274

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 34,548
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2018

General election

General election for Washington State Senate District 7

Incumbent Shelly Short defeated Karen Hardy in the general election for Washington State Senate District 7 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Shelly Short
Shelly Short (R)
 
69.0
 
48,042
Image of Karen Hardy
Karen Hardy (D)
 
31.0
 
21,592

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 69,634
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Washington State Senate District 7

Incumbent Shelly Short and Karen Hardy advanced from the primary for Washington State Senate District 7 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Shelly Short
Shelly Short (R)
 
67.1
 
30,850
✔
Image of Karen Hardy
Karen Hardy (D)
 
32.9
 
15,101

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 45,951
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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2017

See also: Washington state legislative special elections, 2017

A special election for the position of Washington State Senate District 7 was called for November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on August 1, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 19, 2017.[2]

The seat was vacated by Brian Dansel (R) after he accepted a position of special assistant within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Shelly Short (R) was appointed to fill the seat until a replacement was elected in November.[3]

Karen Hardy (D) and incumbent Shelly Short (R) ran in the top-two primary.[4] Short defeated Hardy in the November 7 general election.

Washington State Senate, District 7, Special Election, 2017
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngShelly Short 68.3% 25,444
     Democratic Karen Hardy 31.7% 11,814
Total Votes 37,258
Source: Washington Secretary of State

2016

See also: Washington House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for the Washington House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 2, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 20, 2016.

Incumbent Shelly Short ran unopposed in the Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1 general election.[5]

Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png Shelly Short Incumbent (unopposed)
Source: Washington Secretary of State


Incumbent Shelly Short ran unopposed in the Washington House of Representatives District 7-Position 1 top two primary.[6][7]

Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1 Top Two Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png Shelly Short Incumbent (unopposed)
Source: Washington Secretary of State

2014

See also: Washington House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Washington House of Representatives took place in 2014. A blanket primary election took place on August 5, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 17, 2014. Incumbent Shelly Short (R) and James Apker (L) were unopposed in the primary. Short defeated Apker in the general election.[8][9][10]

Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngShelly Short Incumbent 79.8% 37,648
     Libertarian James Apker 20.2% 9,528
Total Votes 47,176

2012

See also: Washington House of Representatives elections, 2012

Short ran in the 2012 election for Washington House of Representatives District 7-Position 1. Short ran unopposed in the blanket primary on August 7, 2012. The general election took place on November 6, 2012.[11]

2010

See also: Washington State House of Representatives elections, 2010

Shelly Short was re-elected to the Washington House of Representatives District 7-Position 1. She was unopposed in the August 17, 2010, primary and the November 2, 2010, general election.

Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1 Primary (2010)
Candidates Votes Percent
Green check mark transparent.png Shelly Short (R) 27,084 100%

2008

On November 4, 2008, Republican Shelly Short won re-election to the Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1 receiving 57.38% of the vote (30,356 votes), defeating Republican Sue Lani Madsen who received 42.62% of the vote (22,544 votes).

Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1 (2008)
Candidates Votes Percent
Green check mark transparent.png Shelly Short (R) 30,356 57.38%
Sue Lani Madsen (R) 22,544 42.62%

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

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2022

Shelly Short did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Shelly Short campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2022Washington State Senate District 7Won general$236,780 $147,434
2018Washington State Senate District 7Won general$116,623 N/A**
2016Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1Won $107,306 N/A**
2014Washington House of Representatives, District 7-Position 1Won $96,994 N/A**
2012Washington State House, District 7-Position 1Won $81,685 N/A**
2010Washington State House, District 7-Position 1Won $67,404 N/A**
2008Washington State House, District 7-Position 1Won $68,526 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in Washington

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2025.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2024.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2023.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2022.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2021.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2020.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2019.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2018.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2017.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2016.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2015.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2014.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2013.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2012.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Washington State Legislature in 2011.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Short and her husband, Mitch, have two children.

See also

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External links

Candidate

Washington State Senate District 7
  • Website
    		•

    Officeholder

    Washington State Senate District 7
  • Website
    		•

    Personal

  • Facebook
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    		•

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed April 16, 2014
    2. ↑ Governing.com, "Senate control up for grabs in 3 states' special elections," February 15, 2017
    3. ↑ Spokesman.com, "Brian Dansel resigns Washington state Senate seat for Trump administration," January 24, 2017
    4. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 1, 2017 Primary Results," accessed August 1, 2017
    5. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "General Election Results 2016," accessed December 2, 2016
    6. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2016 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 23, 2016
    7. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 2, 2016 Primary Results," accessed August 25, 2016
    8. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2014 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 20, 2014
    9. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 5, 2014, Official Primary Results," accessed August 5, 2014
    10. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Official general election results, 2014," accessed December 2, 2014
    11. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Candidates," accessed July 16, 2012

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    -     		Washington State Senate District 7
    2017-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    -     		Washington House of Representatives District 7-Position 1
    2009-2017    		 Succeeded by
    -


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