Washington Redistricting Commission Misses Deadline, State Supreme Court To Draw New Maps

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, the Washington State Redistricting Commission narrowly missed its midnight deadline to approve new congressional and legislative maps. Washington’s Redistricting Commission is composed of four voting members — two Democrats and two Republicans, as well as a nonvoting chairperson. Notably, the commission’s final hours of discussions took place behind closed doors in stark contrast to the preceding months of public meetings and in potential violation of the state’s Open Public Meetings Act. 

Today, the commission canceled a scheduled press conference and released a statement saying that it failed to meet the deadline despite substantial work from the previous evening “marked by mutual respect and dedication to the important task.” The responsibility to draw new legislative and congressional districts now falls to the Washington Supreme Court.