{{Short description|American politician from Washington}} {{See also|Rape and pregnancy statement controversies in the 2012 United States elections}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = John Koster | image = JohnKosterLD39.jpg | state_house = Washington | district = 39th | term_start = January 3, 1995 | term_end = January 8, 2001 | predecessor = Hans Dunshee | successor = Kirk Pearson | term_start1 = January 9, 2017 | term_end1 = August 31, 2017 | predecessor1 = Elizabeth Scott | successor1 = Carolyn Eslick | office2 = Chair of the Snohomish County Council | term_start2 = {{dts|2004|01|01}} | term_end2 = {{dts|2005|01|03}} | predecessor2 = Gary Nelson | successor2 = Gary Nelson | office3 = Member of the Snohomish County Council<br>from the 1st district | term_start3 = January 1, 2002 | term_end3 = January 1, 2014 | predecessor3 = Mike Ashley | successor3 = Ken Klein | birth_name = John Marvin Koster | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|09|08}} | birth_place = Arlington, Washington, U.S. | alma_mater = Everett Community College | party = Republican | spouse = Vicki Koster | children = 4 }}
'''John Marvin Koster'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfinst.org/pdf/federal/Congress/2012/Table1_House_OutsideSpending_2012.pdf|title=2012 House Races by Total Amount of Outside Spending|work=Campaign Finance Institute|year=2012|access-date=2021-12-24}}</ref> (born September 8, 1951) is an American politician who served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 39th district from 1995 to 2001 and again in 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the Snohomish County Council, representing the 1st district from 2002 to 2014.<ref>{{cite news|date=July 23, 2012|title=John Koster, Former Washington House Candidate (R)|website=Washingtonpost.com|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/john-koster/gIQAoxqYKP_topic.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222130950/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/john-koster/gIQAoxqYKP_topic.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 22, 2015|accessdate=December 28, 2013}}</ref>
==Career== On November 8, 1994, Koster won the election and became a Republican member of Washington House of Representatives for District 39, Position 2. Koster defeated Hans Dunshee with 52.70% of the votes. Koster's term began on January 3, 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=291502 |title=WA House District 39 Seat 2 |website=ourcampaigns.com |date=November 8, 1994 |accessdate=September 2, 2021}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=September 2021}} On November 5, 1996, as an incumbent, Koster won the election and continued serving District 39, Position 2. Koster defeated Jeff Soth with 52.78% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=283417 |title=WA House District 39 Seat 2 |website=ourcampaigns.com |date=November 5, 1996 |accessdate=September 2, 2021}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=September 2021}} On November 3, 1998, as an incumbent, Koster won the election and continued serving District 39, Position 2. Koster defeated Patricia Patterson with 51.87% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=231998 |title=WA House District 39 Seat 2 |website=ourcampaigns.com |date=November 3, 1998 |accessdate=September 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name="votesmart_koster">{{cite web |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/3212/john-koster |title=John Koster's Biography |publisher=Vote Smart |accessdate=September 2, 2021}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=September 2021}}
On November 6, 2001, Koster was elected to the Snohomish County Council, District 1. Koster defeated incumbent Democrat Mike Ashley and others with 51.65% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=127065 |title=Snohomish County Council District 1 |website=ourcampaigns.com |date=November 6, 2001 |accessdate=September 2, 2021}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=September 2021}} As an incumbent, Koster was reelected in November 2005 and November 2009, representing Council District 1.
Koster has three times ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives in 2000, 2010, and 2012. In November 2015, Koster was elected Charter Review Commissioner for Snohomish County.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snoco.org/elections/results/ecurrent.htm |title=Snohomish County Unofficial Election Results : November 8, 2016 Presidential General Election |website=Snoco.org |accessdate=January 18, 2017}}</ref>
On December 20, 2013 it was announced that the term-limited Koster would be the first-ever Snohomish County Ombudsman after his term in the Snohomish County Council ended on January 1, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20131220/NEWS01/712209894|title=Koster to be first-ever county ombudsman|website=Heraldnet.com|date=December 20, 2013|accessdate=December 28, 2013}}</ref>
On November 8, 2016, Koster won the election and became a Republican member of the Washington House of Representatives for District 39, Position 2. Koster defeated Ronda Metcalf with 60.96% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=819971 |title=WA House District 39 Seat 2 |website=ourcampaigns.com |date=November 8, 2016 |accessdate=September 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name="votesmart_koster"/> In July 2017, Koster announced his retirement from the State House to lead the County Road Administration Board as its executive director. He was succeeded by Sultan mayor Carolyn Eslick.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://washingtonstatewire.com/representative-john-koster-step/ |title=Representative John Koster to step down |website=Washington State Wire |first=Kylie |last=Walsh |date=July 25, 2017 |accessdate=September 2, 2021 |archive-date=April 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403203744/https://washingtonstatewire.com/representative-john-koster-step/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}()</ref>
== Personal life == Koster's wife is Vicki Koster. They have four children. Koster and her family live in Arlington, Washington.<ref name="votesmart_koster"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.leg.wa.gov/History/Legislative/Documents/Members_of_Leg_2009.pdf State of Washington; Members of the Legislature, 1889-2009 from leg.wa.gov] * [https://ballotpedia.org/John_Koster John Koster at ballotpedia.org] * [https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=1890 John Koster at ourcampaigns.com]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Koster, John}} Category:1951 births Category:Republican Party members of the Washington House of Representatives Category:Living people Category:Candidates in the 2000 United States elections Category:Candidates in the 2010 United States elections Category:Candidates in the 2012 United States elections Category:Farmers from Washington (state) Category:Snohomish County Councillors Category:Everett Community College alumni Category:People from Arlington, Washington Category:21st-century members of the Washington State Legislature Category:20th-century members of the Washington State Legislature