OLYMPIA – Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma) released the following statement on the outcome of the Washington State Redistricting Commission’s work:
“I want to thank Commissioner April Sims for living up to the values and duties required of a redistricting commissioner. She consistently engaged with every commissioner during the negotiating process, working day and night to ensure the values of fairness and equity would be represented in a final map. I understand that the commissioners reached an agreement late Monday night, and were in the process of working with their extraordinary staff to draft maps based on that agreement as the clock ran out. I did not see the maps until they were publicly released last night, and at this point do not know if the Supreme Court – under whose jurisdiction the redistricting process now falls – will take them into consideration.
“I hope the Supreme Court will consider the bi-partisan maps agreed upon by the commissioners. Whether they do or not, I trust the Court will adopt a map that honors the constitution, as well as the principles of fairness and equity while recognizing the political realities of the state.”
