Redistricting Information for
Council and Commissioner Districts

Legislative Bulletin
Washington State Association of Counties &
Washington Association of County Officials
April 20, 2001, Number 15

Census Figures Require Redistricting for Council and Commissioner Districts

The 2000 Census requires all counties to redistrict their legislative authorities according to RCW 29.70.100. Once the county has received the official census information, they have eight months to prepare a plan for redistricting. The Washington State Redistricting Commission is mailing this information the first week of May. It will be sent to county auditors in an electronic database. A copy of the notification will be sent to each county legislative authority.

After receipt of the census data, the legislative authority must prepare a plan within eight months.

The plan must be consistent with the following criteria:

a) Each council or commissioner district shall be as nearly equal in population as possible to every other district.
b) Each district shall be as compact as possible.
c) Each district shall consist of a geographically contiguous area.
d) To the extent possible, and consistent with a county charter, the district boundary shall coincide with existing recognized natural boundaries and shall, to the extent possible, preserve existing communities of related mutual interest.

Provisions are set for public hearings and notification. Any registered voter residing in the area affected by the redistricting plan may request a review of the plan by the superior court. If the court finds the plan to be consistent with the law, the plan shall take effect immediately. If the court finds the plan does not meet the law, in whole or in part, it shall remand the plan for further corrective action within a specified and reasonable time. If requests for review are frivolous, there is a remedy for the courts to award costs to the local governments.

The state redistricting commission must have the legislative and congressional district plan completed no later than December 15, 2001. The legislature then has 30 days after the start of the next regular or special session to approve the plan. They may only make minor adjustments to the plan. By February 2002 the state-redistricting plan will be final. For more information on the State Redistricting Commission see article below.

It will be important to work closely with county legislative authorities and county auditors in order to coordinate the new boundaries into the voter registration system.

Washington State Redistricting Commission Supports County Efforts to Redistrict

(Submitted by Washington State Redistricting Commission)

One of the first legal responsibilities of the Washington State Redistricting Commission is to provide copies of the official Census 2000 Redistricting Data to the entities responsible for local government redistricting. This requirement is specified in the Local Government Redistricting sections of Chapter 29.70 of the Revised Code of Washington.

RCW 29.70.100(2) states that: "Within forty-five days after receipt of federal decennial census information applicable to a specific local area, the commission established in RCW 44.05.030 shall forward the census information to each municipal corporation, county, and district charged with redistricting under this section."

In order to ensure compliance with the statute, (and to give local governments and election departments sufficient time to complete their efforts) the Washington State Redistricting Commission enlisted the assistance of the Office of the Secretary of State, county auditors and local government associations to develop a list of each municipal corporation, county and district with local government redistricting responsibilities.

Based upon the collected information, in late April and early May, the Commission will send entitled local governments two CD-ROMs: one containing the Census Bureau's TIGER(R) geography file, and a second containing the population information (Public Law 94-171 Redistricting Data Summary file) for our state. The P.L. file, (with internal browser software) is currently available on the Internet via the Commission's Web site at www.redistricting.wa.gov and at www.ofm.wa.gov. Census maps, which reflect TIGER(R) geography only, will also be available upon request from the Commission. Electronic (PDF) files of the plotter-size maps, pending Bureau delivery, will also be available during the second quarter of the year.

Each county election department will receive two sets of the CD-ROMs _ one for redistricting-related use on behalf of the county commissioners or equivalent, and a second as a spare. The CD-ROMs, which do not contain encryption technology, can also be duplicated with common CD-ROM burners.

Questions regarding this matter may be addressed to Ethan Moreno of the Redistricting Commission at 360.586.9000.

More State Redistricting News- Notice of Public Hearings

The Washington State Redistricting Commission, the five-member commission charged with redrawing legislative and congressional district boundaries, will hold a series of public hearings throughout the state, starting May 16 through July 26, 2001. Commissioners will solicit public testimony and accept comments regarding redistricting priorities, boundaries and related issues.

All meetings will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The dates and locations are as follows:

Wednesday, May 16, 2001 Bellevue, Bellevue City Hall, Council Chambers
Wednesday, May 23, 2001 Montesano, Grays Harbor County Administration Building County Commissioners' Meeting Room
Thursday, June 7, 2001 Olympia, John A. Cherberg Building, Senate Hearing Room 1
Wednesday, June 13, 2001 Port Orchard, Kitsap County Courthouse
Thursday, June 14, 2001 Shoreline, Shoreline Conference Center, Shoreline Room
Friday, June 15, 2001 SeaTac, SeaTac City Hall, Council Chambers
Thursday, July 12, 2001 Kelso, Cowlitz County Administration Building, General Meeting Room #300
Friday, July 13, 2001 Vancouver, Franklin Building, Commissioners' Hearing Room
Monday, July 16, 2001 Spokane, Public Works Building, Commissioners' Hearing Room
Tuesday, July 17, 2001 Pasco, Franklin County PUD Auditorium
Wednesday, July 18, 2001 Yakima, Yakima County Administrative Building, Room 420
Thursday, July 19, 2001 Ellensburg, Public Safety Building, City Council Chambers
Monday, July 23, 2001 Tacoma, Pierce County Public Services Building, Room A
Wednesday, July 25, 2001 Mount Vernon, PUD #1 of Skagit County, Aqua Room
Thursday, July 26, 2001 Everett, Snohomish County Administration Building, Ginni Stevens Hearing Room

For more information regarding public meetings, please contact Filiz Satir at (360) 586-9000. In the near future, the commission will provide additional directions to meeting locations on its web site. For more on public hearings and redistricting in general, please visit the web site: www.redistricting.wa.gov.