State Sen. Emily Randall (D-Bremerton) of the 26th Legislative District has been elected Majority Whip by her colleagues in the Senate Democratic Caucus in Olympia.

Randall’s new position elevates the first-term senator to a leadership position in the Washington State Senate, in which she will help set the caucus’s legislative priorities and agenda.

“This is a huge honor I do not take for granted,” Randall said in a Dec. 5 news release.

“Being the Whip means I’m a part of the leadership team, helping to set our priorities and agenda, carrying them out by keeping my colleagues unified and focused as we fight for all Washingtonians. Staggering numbers of our neighbors are struggling with unemployment, housing insecurity, inadequate childcare, insufficient broadband — it will take a collaborative, bipartisan team of lawmakers to meet the needs of our communities and it will be my job to help keep us on that track.”

Randall also was reelected as chair for the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee. She said she plans to continue building a coalition of college and university students, staff and administration, faculty and families.

CSG Award recipient

The state senator’s office also announced Dec. 1 that Randall has been named a recipient of the inaugural Council of State Governments (CSG) 20 Under 40 Leadership Award.

The leadership award recognizes bipartisan, emerging elected and appointed officials nationwide who “exemplify a profound commitment to serving their community and an ability to engage officials or colleagues across chambers, agencies and party lines to advance their neighbors’ priorities and meet their needs,” CSG stated in a news release.