Membership on the commission is as defined in RCW 43.03.305.

(1) One member from each congressional district is selected randomly by the secretary of state from the rolls of registered voters.

(2) Seven commissioners are selected jointly by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate. Of these seven members, one is selected from each of the following five sectors: Private institutions of higher education, business, professional personnel management, legal profession, and organized labor. Of the remaining two members, one is recommended to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate by the chair of the Washington personnel resources board and one is recommended by majority vote of the presidents of the state's four-year institutions of higher education.