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Category: Redistricting

Talking elections and redistricting

Talking elections and redistricting

With this year’s General Election exactly two months away, Secretary Reed talked elections issues with Comcast Newsmakers host Sabrina Register during a taped interview Thursday morning in the Governor’s Mansion. In addition to discussing statewide ballot measures and voter registration deadlines before the November 8 election (ballots go out to voters by Oct. 21), Reed also talked about the ongoing work by the state’s Redistricting Commission and the impact it will have on Washington’s congressional and legislative districts starting next…

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What a difference a decade makes …

What a difference a decade makes …

Washington’s population has grown by leaps and bounds during the past 10 years — by over 14 percent, to a new nose-count of 6,724,540.  The growth: over 830,000 people. But that growth, of course, hasn’t been uniform all around the Evergreen State, and so our current legislative and congressional districts are out of whack, population-wise.  One of the main purposes of the U.S. Census is to allow us to redistrict every decade so that districts meet the legal requirements for …

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Redistricting panel picks chair, girds for task ahead

Redistricting panel picks chair, girds for task ahead

The Washington State Redistricting Commission is at full strength after unanimously choosing Lura Powell of Richland as their fifth, nonvoting, member and chairwoman.  She was immediately sworn in by Secretary of State Sam Reed. Dr. Powell is well known in scientific and biotechnology circles, and describes herself as nonpartisan or bipartisan.  Her selection was made by the two Democratic and two Republican commissioners who were previously appointed by the four political caucus leaders in Olympia. Powell is former director of…

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It’s official: We get a 10th congressional seat!

It’s official: We get a 10th congressional seat!

U.S. Census officials, including Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, our former governor, recently gave us the good news that our population (6,724,540 souls) has grown enough to warrant another congressional district.  Today, we got the official notification. The clerk of the U.S. House, Karen L. Haas, sent Secretary of State Sam Reed a “certificate of entitlement” that says Washington gets, and we quote, “TEN REPRESENTATIVES.” Here is the certificate. And the letter to Governor Gregoire. Just a few hours earlier, the…

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WA 2011 redistricting officially underway

WA 2011 redistricting officially underway

Secretary Reed introduces Redistricting Commission members (L to R) Tom Huff, Slade Gorton, Dean Foster and Tim Ceis. Washington’s citizen-driven process of redrawing the state’s congressional and legislative district boundaries is officially launched — and you’re invited to watch and give your ideas. The four voting members of the citizen Redistricting Commission — two Democrats and two Republicans — were sworn in Tuesday by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Madsen.  She exhorted  the panel to “operate with the best…

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Redistricting panel soon launches 2011 map-drawing

Redistricting panel soon launches 2011 map-drawing

The four voting members of the 2011 Washington Redistricting Commission — two Democrats and two Republicans — will be sworn in by Chief Justice Barbara Madsen in the chief’s reception room in the Temple of Justice in Olympia at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, the 18th. The panel must choose a fifth, nonvoting, member to serve as chairman. The commissioners are Republicans Slade Gorton, the former House majority leader, attorney general and three-term U.S. senator, and Tom Huff, the former state…

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Back to the future for Slade and redistricting

Back to the future for Slade and redistricting

Photo provided by Howard E. McCurdy Soon after former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton was introduced today as the state Senate Republicans’ appointee to the 2011 state Redistricting Commission, he met in Secretary Reed’s office (below) to briefly discuss Washington’s current congressional and legislative district boundaries, as well as talk about past redistricting efforts. Gorton is very familiar with the redistricting process. This 1965 photo above shows him (standing on the far right) and other House Republican members and staffers reviewing…

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A perfect 10! WA awarded new congressional seat

A perfect 10! WA awarded new congressional seat

Map courtesy of U.S. Census Bureau Celebration time! Washington’s population grew by over 14 percent in the past decade and will gain a new congressional seat. Washington’s former governor, Gary Locke, now President Obama’s commerce secretary, presided over a nationally televised press conference to release the 23rd Census since the founding of the republic. Relative to the rest of the nation, Washington grew enough in the past 10 years to nab a 10th congressional district.  Our latest population number: 6,724,540…

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Redistricting soon to gear up

Redistricting soon to gear up

Washington will get word on Tuesday on whether we’ve grown enough in the past decade to warrant a new seat in Congress.  The Census figures are coming out, amid speculation that we’ll get a 10th congressional district. The state Redistricting Commission will soon take up the task of redrawing congressional and legislative district boundaries so they represent equal numbers of voters.  Right now, some districts have far more than the ideal-sized population. The commission will be comprised of four voting…

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