Akasha Lawrence Spence Appointed To State Senate

SALEM, OR —Commissioners from Multnomah and Washington counties voted unanimously Monday to appoint Akasha Lawrence Spence as the state senator for District 18. She replaces fellow Democrat Ginny Burdick, who resigned Nov. 1 to accept an appointment on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, the Portland Tribune reported.

Lawrence Spence, 33, is expected to take office immediately and serve through the 2022 election in May.

"I am incredibly grateful to the people of Senate District 18 for their tireless support and to the county commissioners for casting their votes in my favor," Lawrence Spence said in a statement. "Trust that I will continue to boldly push forward on the life-changing policy that will uplift our community, our district and all Oregonians."

Lawrence Spence has previous experience as an appointed state politician. In 2020, she was appointed as a replacement for Democratic Rep. Jennifer Williamson in House District 26.

"As a state representative, Senator-designate Lawrence Spence proved very effective for her constituents and for Oregon during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic," Senate Majority Leader Rob Wagner of Lake Oswego said in a statement. "We are all very fortunate for her return to public service and I look forward to working with her on important issues in 2022."

Lawrence Spence is the founder and principal designer of Fifth Element, a development firm that works primarily with women of color looking to establish their own businesses.

She also served as an advocate for the Oregon Cares Fund, which was designed to use federal funds to help people of color and businesses recover from the coronavirus pandemic and economic downtown, the Portland Tribune reported.

According to the Tribune, the county commissioners interviewed three candidates for the vacant senate seat, but made it clear their appointee only would serve through the upcoming election.

Lawrence Spence already has announced she will challenge incumbent Dan Ryan in the May 19 primary for Portland city commissioner.

The boundaries of State Senate District 18 were redrawn during redistricting this year, and the new boundaries will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

The district previously extended from Southwest Portland into Tigard and parts of Washington and Clackamas counties, but has been broken up and absorbed by parts of four other senate districts. The redrawn Senate District 18 now is entirely within Washington County.

According to The Oregonian, no Clackamas County commissioners were able to attend Monday's meeting where Lawrence Spence was selected to fill the vacant seat.