Lois North | |
|---|---|
 North in 1973 | |
| Chair of the King County Council | |
| In office January 1, 1990 – January 1, 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Gary Grant |
| Succeeded by | Audrey Gruger |
| In office January 1, 1982 – January 1, 1984 | |
| Preceded by | Ruby Chow |
| Succeeded by | Gary Grant |
| Member of the King County Council from the 4th district | |
| In office January 1, 1980 – January 1, 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Bernice Stern |
| Succeeded by | Larry Phillips |
| Member of the Washington Senate from the 44th district | |
| In office January 13, 1975 – December 31, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Ted G. Peterson |
| Succeeded by | Bruce A. Bradburn |
| Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 44th district | |
| In office January 13, 1969 – January 13, 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Lon F. Backman |
| Succeeded by | Donn Charnley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lois Esther Hiester November 23, 1921 Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
Lois Esther North (née Hiester; born November 23, 1921) is an American former politician in the state of Washington. A Republican, North served in the Washington House of Representatives for the 44th district between 1969 and 1975 and the Washington State Senate from the 44th district between 1975 and 1979.
Born in Berkeley, California, she attended the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University. While studying at UC Berkeley, she met Douglass C. North who she married in 1944. She 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. She led the effort to redistrict the state legislature in 1962, although the ballot measure she drafted ultimately was rejected by the voters. North also served on the King County commission which drafted the new county charter that was approved by voters in 1968.
North was first elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1968, where she worked to pass environmental legislation. A moderate, pro-choice Republican, she sponsored a bill to reform abortion policy which led to its legalization through Initiative 20 in 1970. She was the primary sponsor of the state-wide equal rights amendment (ERA) and led the movement to ratify the federal ERA in Washington. She was elected to the Washington State Senate in 1974, where she served for three terms, retiring from office in 1979. She was then elected to the King County Council to represent the 4th district, serving three terms. She chose not to seek re-election in 1991.