Multnomah and Washington County Commissioners appoint Representative Lisa Reynolds to Oregon Senate District 17
Multnomah County, Ore. (Nov. 2024) — The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners and Washington County Board of Commissioners held a joint session on Thursday, Nov. 14, appointing Representative Lisa Reynolds to Oregon Senate District 17. Reynolds will fill the seat vacated by Oregon State Treasurer-elect Elizabeth Steiner on Nov. 6, 2024.
Dr. Lisa Reynolds, a pediatrician with over two decades of experience was unanimously appointed to the position by all nine commissioners present at Thursday's virtual meeting.
Reynolds received endorsements from her predecessor, Steiner, as well as from the other two candidates under consideration, Pradnya Patil and Joel Shapiro.
Oregon law requires that a legislative vacancy be filled by county commissioners representing the district in which the vacancy exists; and that legislative appointments must be made from the same political party as the previous legislator. Steiner's replacement in the Senate will serve the remainder of her term ending in January 2027.
Reynolds, who was re-elected to her third term in the Oregon House of Representatives, represents the Washington County communities of Bethany, Oak Hills, Cedar Mill, and parts of Beaverton and Hillsboro. She previously represented West Portland from 2021 to 2023. Senate District 17 covers both Washington and Multnomah counties, including a significant portion of Northwest Portland and the suburbs of Beaverton. She will be sworn in to her newly appointed position at a later date.
Reynolds is a mom and a pediatrician serving children and families in Washington and Multnomah counties. She has spent her first two terms in the Legislature focused on ending child poverty, improving infant and maternal health outcomes, combating gun violence, and securing housing and health for every Oregon child. She has said that her pediatric practice grounds her work and informs everything she does in the Legislature.
Thursday’s appointment was livestreamed on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners’ YouTube Channel.
