Preliminary redistricting plans to be released Sept. 13

The state Redistricting Commission will release initial plans to carve out new congressional and legislative districts throughout Washington on Sept. 13.

The state Redistricting Commission will release initial plans to carve out new congressional and legislative districts throughout Washington on Sept. 13.

At its monthly meeting in Olympia the commissioners will each make public their proposed plans for congressional and legislative districts. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. in Senate Hearing Room 1 of the Cherberg Building on the Capitol Campus. The meeting will be webcast and broadcast live by TVW, the state’s non-profit public affairs television network.

The unveiling of the plans marks the opening of the public comment period to collect peoples’ reactions to the draft plans. Large-format versions of the plans will be on display in the Cherberg Building immediately following the meeting and also will be posted to the commission’s website by 2 p.m. that day. The commission is taking comment on the draft plans through Oct. 11. It will hold a public meeting that same day. The commission has set a goal of early November for release of the final congressional and legislative redistricting plan.

The commission includes two Democrats and two Republicans as voting members and a non-voting, nonpartisan chair. Lura Powell, from Richland, serves as the commission chair. Democratic appointees to the Commission are Tim Ceis, Seattle; and Dean Foster, Olympia. Republican members are former U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, Bellevue; and Tom Huff, Gig Harbor.