Sylvia Laughter facts for kids

Sylvia Laughter (born around 1959 – died October 15, 2022) was an American politician. She was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from January 1999 to January 2005. Sylvia Laughter made history in Arizona. She was the first Navajo woman to serve in the Arizona legislature. She was also the first and only politician who was not part of a major political party to serve in the state legislature since Arizona became a state in 1912.

Sylvia Laughter's Political Journey

Sylvia Laughter began her political career in November 1998. She was first elected to the House as a Democrat. She represented District 3 in Arizona. She was re-elected in 2000, continuing her work in the House.

Changing Political Parties

In 2002, after some changes to the voting districts, she was re-elected again. This time, she represented District 2. In February 2003, Sylvia Laughter made a big decision. She changed her political party from Democrat to Independent. This meant she chose not to belong to any major political party.

She tried to be re-elected in November 2004 but was not successful. Later, between 2004 and 2010, she changed her party back to Democrat. In 2010, she ran for the Arizona State Senate in District 2. However, she lost in the primary election. A primary election is when voters choose which candidate from a party will run in the main election.

Later Life and Passing

Sylvia Laughter passed away on October 15, 2022. She was 63 years old. She died in Mesa, Arizona, due to complications from COVID-19.