35 Facts About Lois North

Lois Esther North is an American former politician in the state of Washington.

Lois North worked as a teacher before the couple moved to Seattle, Washington, where she became involved with the League of Women Voters after the birth of their children.

Lois North led the effort to redistrict the state legislature in 1962, although the ballot measure she drafted ultimately was rejected by the voters.

Lois North served on the King County commission which drafted the new county charter that was approved by voters in 1968.

Lois North was first elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1968, where she worked to pass environmental legislation.

Lois North was the primary sponsor of the state-wide equal rights amendment and led the movement to ratify the federal ERA in Washington.

Lois North was elected to the Washington State Senate in 1974, where she served for three terms, retiring from office in 1979.

Lois North was then elected to the King County Council to represent the 4th district, serving three terms.

Lois North was the youngest of three children of Cyrus Hiester and Anna Bertelse Hiester.

Lois North was involved in student government and debate during high school.

Lois North graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelors of arts degree and a general secondary teaching certificate.

Lois North completed graduate studies at UC Berkeley and Columbia University.

In college, North met Douglass C North and the couple married on June 29,1944, in Albany, California.

Lois North's husband joined the US Merchant Marines for a year during World War II and then began a career in economics, for which he later received a Nobel Memorial Prize in 1993.

Lois North began her career teaching high school history and math.

Lois North supported that the League was non-partisan but she took a strong stand on issues, supporting a state income tax, lowering the voting age to eighteen, and a constitutional amendment to enact a recurrent, ten-year requirement for redistricting.

Lois North lobbied the state capital in Olympia in favor of these issues on behalf of the organization.

The League had drafted a previous ballot initiative in 1957 to redistrict the state which had been dismantled by the state legislature, and Lois North became state chair for the 1962 effort to introduce a re-districting ballot initiative.

Lois North was in favor of either an appointed or elected county administrator with a stated political affiliation.

Lois North was encouraged by Tim Hill to run for election in his former seat in the Washington House of Representatives when he resigned to join the Seattle City Council in 1967.

Lois North was elected as the representative for the 44th district in November 1968.

Lois North sponsored six environmental bills during the first session, covering areas such as open space, liability for oil spills, government-mandated effluent standards and a recreational trail system.

Lois North was one of five women in the House during her first term, out of a total of 99 members.

Lois North joined the Women's Council, a revised version of the Commission on the Status of Women created by Governor Albert Rosellini.

Lois North led the effort for the state to ratify the federal ERA.

Lois North decided to run for Washington State Senate in July 1974, when fellow Republican Ted Peterson announced his retirement as the senator for the 44th district.

Lois North received his endorsement at the press conference where he announced his resignation and she declared her intention to run.

Lois North was the underdog, running against Democrat Fred H Dore.

Lois North won in a narrow election on November 5,1974, receiving an additional five votes following a recount called by Dore.

Lois North served for three terms, a member of the committees for education, ecology, local governance, social and health services, and energy and utilities.

Lois North was elected to the King County Council to represent the 4th district in 1979.

Lois North served three terms and was chair of the council in 1982,1990 and 1991.

Lois North supported a $31.5 million bond issue to improve Woodland Park Zoo, which received voter approval in 1986.

Lois North's election prevented the Democrats from winning a veto-proof majority and her remaining time on the council was uncomfortable as other members had openly supported Bridge.

Lois North was a member of the Business and Professional Women's Club and the Blue Ridge Community Club.