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By Roger Harnack
Whitman County Gazette 

Redistricting plans could split Whitman County

 

September 30, 2021



RITZVILLE — Whitman County would remain in the 9th Legislative District under three different proposals offered by the Redistricting Commission.

But a fourth proposal would split the county between Colfax and Pullman, moving those Whitman County voters in Pullman, Uniontown, and Colton into the 16th District.

The proposals come from House appointees Democrat April Sims and Republican Paul Graves, and Senate appointees Democrat Brady Walkinshaw and Republican Joe Fain.

Walkinshaw’s plan would split Whitman County between Colfax and Pullman. He proposes to extend the 9th District north of Moses Lake in Grant County and north to the Spokane Valley city limit. The plan would include a larger swath of Spokane and Grant counties while putting all of Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin Counties into the 16th District.

Franklin County would mostly be included in the 9th District, but the Pasco area would fall into the 16th District with Walla Walla and Pullman.

Sims’ plan calls for the 9th District to include all of Adams, Whitman, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin counties while adding small portions of Walla Walla, Grant, and Spokane counties, including the cities of Cheney, Spangle, Royal City, and growing areas on the south and eastern outskirts of Moses Lake.

Graves’ plan includes all of Adams, Whitman, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin Counties, as well as most of Franklin County. His plan would drop portions of south Spokane County from the district and exclude the Pasco area of Franklin County. But, it would include all of the Moses Lake areas. All of Walla Walla County would move into the 16th Legislative District, anchored by the Pasco population.

Fain’s proposal would keep Adams, Garfield, Asotin, and Whitman Counties fully intact within the 9th District. Franklin County, except for the greater Pasco area, would also remain. Current areas of Spokane County in the district would be moved into the 6th Legislative District with Lincoln County, and the cities of Airway Heights, Medical Lake, Cheney, Spangle, and Freeman, among others.

The proposals and maps were released on Sept. 21.

“Tuesday was a big day during this year’s redistricting process, as each of the four Redistricting Commission members released a proposed map showing how he or she would redraw our state’s legislative district boundaries,” Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville.

Schoesler represents the 9th Legislative District along with Reps. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, and Joe Schmick, R-Colfax.

The four commissioners were expected to unveil their Congressional redistricting plans on Sept. 28. The maps and proposals were not available at press time.

Redistricting comes in the following each U.S. Census every 10 years.

This year, the state’s Redistricting Commission has until Nov. 15 to approve new voting district boundaries.

The proposal will be provided to the Legislature at the beginning of the year.

Following legislative approval, the new districts would change voting areas after the 2022 general election.

Author Bio

Roger Harnack, Publisher

Author photo

Roger Harnack is the co-owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.

 

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