Criticism as WA panel hastily approves new political maps

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SEATTLE (AP) – The Washington Cutting Commission approved new political maps for the state late Monday night amid criticism that the panel may have circumvented open meeting laws and may not have finished its works on time.

The Seattle Times reports that votes on congressional and state legislative maps were taken just before the bipartisan commission’s legal deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday to approve the new limits, although they did not were immediately put online.

A press conference is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Washington’s 2021 commission consists of four voting members – two Democrats and two Republicans – appointed by legislative caucus leaders. Democrats named were former lawmaker Brady Piñero Walkinshaw and state labor council head April Sims; The Republican commissioners were former state lawmakers Joe Fain and Paul Graves.

By law, at least three of the four had to agree on new political maps by November 15. If unsuccessful, the mapping tasks would be turned over to the state’s Supreme Court, which would have until April 30 to draw the new maps.

This has not happened since the state passed a constitutional amendment giving redistribution power to a bipartisan commission after the 1990 census.

The new maps of the 10 US House districts and the state’s 49 legislative districts will be in place for the next decade, starting with the 2022 midterm elections. The state has secured a new seat in the United States House after the 2020 census, as he did after the 2010 population enumeration.

After attending a public meeting scheduled via Zoom at 7 p.m. on Monday, the commissioners met in closed-door caucuses, with staff or commissioners appearing on video every half hour to say private talks were underway.

The non-public discussions drew criticism.

“If a local government did something like this, the legislature would spend months berating every city and every county in the state for months. It’s a complete joke, ”Pierce County Council Chairman Derek Young said in a tweet.

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