Speak out NOW for 5 fair, equitable, and competitive voting districts for Spokane County Commissioner

Speak out NOW for 5 fair, equitable, and competitive voting districts for Spokane County Commissioner

Community Map
Time Range For Action Alert: 
Oct 04 2021 to Oct 12 2021

Comments regarding the creation of the five new Spokane County Commissioner Districts must be made BY OCTOBER 12th 

Now is the time to speak out for 5 fair, equitable, and competitive voting districts for Spokane County Commissioner positions. The Community Coalition for Creating 5 Fair, Equitable Spokane County Commissioner Districts has presented a map to the Spokane County Redistricting Committee, which puts our values into action. LWVSA is part of this Coalition and has spoken in favor of the map. Will you voice your support for this map and our goals and principles? 

Community map details updated interactive Community Commissioner District Map.  

Actions 

Check the Redistricting Committee Website to see all the committee proposed maps.  You can see the two (Oct 6th) Commissioner proposed compromise maps. here

 Click here to send an email OR compose your own email to  info [at] redistrictspokaneco.com  Deadline to submit comments on the Redistricting Committee’s draft maps is October 12 so please send your message today!  Here are some talking points.

The Community Map:  This map does a much better job keeping communities of interest together. To create 5 fair, equitable, and competitive Spokane County Commissioner Districts where voters will elect their Commissioners by district, our map enacts these goals:

It’s about proportional representation.

  • Increase the representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) voters and 
  • Creates competitive and fair districts so elected officials are responsible to their constituents as we are growing from three to five districts.  
  • Uses existing natural and transportation boundaries to keep neighborhoods in Spokane in one district.
  • Creates truly equitable and competitive districts across the county.
  • Connect communities of interest such as those facing growth-related challenges at the edges of urban areas.  

 The Community Map divides the City of Spokane, where the majority of the county resides, among three out of the five districts. City of Spokane Voters are just as impacted by County decisions as any other member of the community and pay County Taxes as well. For example, 75% of the County's budget is spent on the criminal justice system which disproportionately impacts the City of Spokane as the Courts and Jail are all in the City limits. City voters end up dealing with the consequences of the County's decision on criminal justice.
 
What’s at stake: Our County Commissioners hold so much influence over our daily lives and futures, making critical decisions about issues vital to all of us, including public safety, housing, climate change, labor rights and public health. We deserve accountable and responsive local leaders. That is why this moment is critically urgent as we navigate the road to recovery from COVID-19.
 
For more background or talking points and to see news articles and learn more about our League's work and positions on Spokane County government see our County Government Issues page.