Redistricting Commission Reaches Agreement on Congressional, Legislative Plans

The Washington State Redistricting Commission unanimously approved a plan that would redraw legislative and congressional district lines.

According to the Associated Press, the four members of the commission, which was made of two Republicans and two Democrats, disagreed on details on the legislative districts particularly on the east side of the state.

According to the demographic information on the Washington State Redistricting Commission website, Bellevue and Mercer Island would be in the 

Bellevue's Congressional representation would change, because the

In the Washington State Legislature, Bellevue will remain in the 41st and 48th districts and continue to be represented by its current delegation, who all reside within the redrawn boundaries. 

However, the area between NE 12th Street and NE 8th Street in downtown Bellevue will swap from the 41st District, represented by Democratic State Representatives Marcie Maxwell of Renton and Judy Clibborn of Mercer Island and Republican State Senator Steve Litzow of Mercer Island, to the 48th district, represented by State Senator Rodney Tom of Bellevue and State Representatives Ross Hunter of Medina and Deb Eddy of Kirkland, all Democrats.

The 41st District was redrawn to further north to exclude several North Renton neighborhoods, including the East Renton Highlands, and to extend further east into North Issaquah and South Sammamish. A map of the redrawn districts in the Puget Sound can be found by clicking on the PDF images attached to this story.

An earlier proposal by State Republicans would have moved the south boundary of the district, omitting Renton's Kennydale neighborhood where Maxwell resides. The approved map retains a much smaller swathe of North Renton which includes Maxwell's neighborhood. 

Changes to Congressional districts are mandated every decade by the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a count of every person residing in the nation to accurately reflect the required principal of proportional representation.

Details of the agreement can be found on the Redistricting website.