Jeff Morris (politician)
{{short description |American politician from Washington}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Jeff Morris
|image =
| office = Speaker pro tempore of the Washington House of Representatives
| term_start = January 14, 2008
| term_end = January 10, 2011
| predecessor = John Lovick
| successor = Jim Moeller
|state_house1 = Washington
|district1 = 40th
|term_start1 = January 13, 1997
|term_end1 = January 6, 2020
|predecessor1 = Cheryl Hymes
|successor1 = Alex Ramel
|birth_name = Jeffrey Robert Morris
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|02|24}}
|birth_place = Anacortes, Washington, U.S.
|party = Democratic
|alma_mater = Central Washington University
|occupation = Politician
| website = [http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/roster/rep-jeff-morris/ Official]
}}
Jeffrey Robert Morris (born February 24, 1964) is an American politician who served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 40th district from 1997 to 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, Morris was one of three self-identified American Indians, along with John McCoy (Tulalip Tribes) and Jay Rodne (Bad River Band of Chippewa), in the Washington State Legislature.{{cite book |last1=Wilkins |first1=David E. |last2=Stark |first2=Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik |title=American Indian Politics and the American Political System |edition=3rd |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |date=October 16, 2010 |pages=165–188 |chapter=Chapter 7: Indigenous Political Participation: Patriotism, Suffrage, and Partisanship |isbn=978-1442203884}}
Early life and education
Jeff Morris is a fourth-generation native of Guemes Island.{{cite web|url=http://www.spokesman.com/elections/2010/washington-primary-election/candidates/jeff-morris/ |title=2010 Washington Primary Election Candidate Profile: Jeff Morris |work=The Spokesman-Review |accessdate=2013-12-01}} He also lived in Anacortes, Washington, where he graduated Anacortes High School in 1982. He graduated from Central Washington University.
Career
Based in Anacortes, Morris became active in the Democratic Party and successfully ran for the state House of Representatives in 1996 to represent the 40th Legislative District.{{cite web|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19961206/2363392/final-official-election-results |title=Final, Official Election Results |date=1996-12-06 |publisher=The Seattle Times |access-date=2013-12-01}} Repeatedly re-elected, he served as chairman of the Technology and Economic Development Committee and is also a member of the Environment and Transportation committees. He has previously served as speaker pro tempore, House floor leader, and chairman of the Finance and Technology, Energy, and Communications committees.
Morris served on the executive committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures and is the past chairman of the Council of State Governments-West and past president of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region.
He retired mid-term in 2020 to take a job in the private sector, and activist Alex Ramel was appointed to serve for the remainder of his term.{{Cite web|url=https://sanjuanislander.com/news-articles/government-news/state/30149/rep-jeff-morris-accepts-new-position-will-step-down-from-representing-the-40th-legislative-district|title=Rep. Jeff Morris accepts new position--will step down from Representing the 40th Legislative District|website=sanjuanislander.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2020-01-07}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/roster/rep-Jeff-Morris/biography Legislative biography]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Jeff}}
Category:21st-century members of the Washington State Legislature
Category:Central Washington University alumni
Category:Democratic Party members of the Washington House of Representatives
Category:Native American state legislators in Washington (state)
Category:People from Anacortes, Washington
Category:People from Mount Vernon, Washington
Category:20th-century Native American politicians
Category:21st-century Native American politicians
Category:20th-century members of the Washington State Legislature