Washington’s citizen Redistricting Commission, under the gun to reach bipartisan agreement on new congressional and legislative district boundaries, pulled it all together just a few hours before their absolute deadline on the night of New Year’s Day.

With all four voting members — two Republicans and two Democrats — signing off on the plan, the new boundaries are expected to take effect this spring.  Under the voter-approved constitutional amendment that created the process in 1983, lawmakers will have only a limited ability to tweak the boundaries, and then only by a hard-to-achieve two-thirds vote in both chambers.  Gov. Chris Gregoire will have no role in the process. There has been no threat of a court challenge.

Fresh district boundaries were required by the state and federal constitutions to reflect the population growth and shifts in the 2010 Census.  Some districts were badly out of shape, some needing to shed large numbers of voters due to population growth over the past decade and other areas needing to gain population.

Also, the state was awarded a new 10th Congressional District, the first new district since 1990.  The district was placed in Olympia/Shelton and northward into Pierce County. The 9th District was formed into a minority majority district, meaning the Caucasian population is less than 50 percent.  Two districts, the 8th and the 3rd, both held by Republicans, picked up more Eastern Washington voters.

Analysts said the open 1st Congressional District could well be the most competitive district. Incumbent Jay Inslee is leaving to run for governor.  Candidates began ann0uncing for the various districts within minutes of the commission releasing its maps last week.

Redrawing the legislative districts also were a task for the commission, with the 15th in the Yakima Valley becoming the state’s first majority Latino district, and the 6th District in the Spokane area becoming more competitive. Some incumbent legislators in Western Washington were shifted from their current districts.

Here is the letter that the commission sent Secretary Reed, announcing submission of its plan to the Legislature.