Sheldon (born September 3, 1947) is an American politician who has served since 1991 in the Washington State Legislature as a Democrat, representing the sprawling 35th District, which includes all of Mason County and parts of Thurston and Kitsap counties.
Since 2004 he has also represented Mason County as a Mason County Commissioner for District 2.
Sheldon was born in Mason County, and has lived there most of his life.
He attended public schools until he entered the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1965, graduating in 1969 with a BS in Economics.
He earned his MBA at the University of Washington.
Following a decade of work in economic development for Native American tribes, Sheldon began a new career as executive director of the non-profit Mason County Economic Development Council, a post he held for 18 years.
First elected to the Washington State House of Representatives for a term beginning in 1991, Sheldon served three terms there before being elected to the State Senate in 1997.
Currently in his fifth four-year Senate term, Sheldon is vice chair of the Energy Environment & Telecommunications Committee, and sits on the Rules and Transportation committees.