Redistricting Commission Holds Live Meeting; Wenatchee Valley Could Be Split

It's now time for the Washington State Redistricting Commission to head to the negotiating table after its members heard over two hours of testimony from Washington residents during a virtual meeting Saturday.

The meeting was over the four Congressional district map drafts previously submitted by each of the commission's four voting members.

8th District and East Wenatchee resident Karen said she prefers a map where similar communities can be joined into the same district. Wenatchee and East Wenatchee are only featured in the same district in two of the four draft maps.

"People and businesses in our region share municipal services, healthcare systems, a two-county port administration, one Chamber of Commerce, one visitor and tourism organization, a regional airport and so much more," explained Karen.

Longtime Microsoft employee and now Leavenworth retiree Edward provided one of several testimonials from former west side residents now living in the 8th District's Chelan and Kittitas counties.

"Chelan County needs to be tied to the west of the mountains for commercial and tourist-oriented business." stated Edward, "Our area is reliant on the west side connection for its commercial livelihood and future existence."

A 4th District resident named Kara echoed the heavy support that former State Representative and Seattle Democrat Brady Walkinshaw's map received throughout the meeting. She says historically the commission has chosen to split reservations and disadvantaged communities, but his proposed 4th District would do much more to unify.

"He includes four who reservations, Yakima, Spokane, Colville and Kalispel, while uphold voters of Hispanic background and rural Washington voters," said Kara.

Walkinshaw's draft map has the 8th district spanning from Stehekin to Vantage to Mercer Island.

Pastor LaShund Lambert, who lives in the 8th District as a resident of Auburn, was one of only a couple of people to testify in favor of either of the two draft maps created by the commission's Republican members. Lambert says he appreciates Commissioner Graves' draft map because it keeps like-minded people together.

"I believe if we can allow people's votes to be empowered, we would have a greater chance at seeing less violence and less frustration in the streets." said Lambert, "Voting is the way that America should be run, not by things being burned down or there being fear in the streets."

The final state Congressional and legislative maps will need 3 of 4 votes from the commission, so there will likely be a lot of negotiating before their November 15th deadline.

Both the Congressional and legislative draft maps can be found here.