{{Short description|American politician from Washington}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Harriet Spanel |image = |caption = |state_house = Washington |district = 40th |term_start = 1987 |term_end = 1993 |predecessor = |successor = Dave Quall |state_senate2 = Washington |district2 = 40th |term_start2 = 1993 |term_end2 = 2009 |birth_date = {{Birth date|1939|01|15}} |birth_place = Audubon, Iowa |death_date = {{Death date and age |2016|02|02|1939|01|15}} |death_place = Bellingham, Washington |party = Democrat |occupation = Politician }}
'''Harriet Rosa (née Albertsen) Spanel''' (January 15, 1939 – February 2, 2016) was an American politician and community volunteer.
Spanel was born in Audubon, Iowa and grew up on a farm. She graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1961. She worked as a computer programmer for the Atomic Energy Commission at the Ames National Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. In 1964, Spanel, her husband, and their family moved to Bellevue, Washington. In 1968, Spanel, her husband, and their family moved to Bellingham, Washington. Spanel served on the Bellingham Planning Commission and on the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Commission. She was also involved with voter registration and studied at Fairhaven College at Western Washington University. Spanel served as a Democrat in the Washington House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993 and in the Washington State Senate from 1993 to 2009. She was also the Democratic nominee for Washington's 2nd congressional district in 1994 to succeed retiring Democratic incumbent Al Swift; she lost to former state senator Jack Metcalf with 45.34% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 1995 |title=Federal Elections 94: Election Results for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives |url=https://www.fec.gov/resources/cms-content/documents/federalelections94.pdf |access-date=December 5, 2023 |website=Federal Election Commission}}</ref> Spanel died at her home in Bellingham, Washington.<ref>[http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article58140303.html Obituary from the Bellingham Herald]</ref><ref>[https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/skagitvalleyherald/obituary.aspx?pid=177616157 Harriet Spanel-obituary]</ref><ref>[http://web.leg.wa.gov/WomenInTheLegislature/Members/SpanelHA.htm Gelebrating 100 Years-Women In The Legislature-Harriet A. Spanel]</ref>
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Spanel, Harriet}} Category:1939 births Category:2016 deaths Category:People from Audubon, Iowa Category:Iowa State University alumni Category:Women state legislators in Washington (state) Category:Democratic Party members of the Washington House of Representatives Category:Democratic Party Washington (state) state senators Category:Candidates in the 1994 United States elections Category:20th-century members of the Washington State Legislature Category:21st-century members of the Washington State Legislature Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Politicians from Bellingham, Washington
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