City of Spokane Redistricting Update –The City Redistricting Board - City of Spokane, Washington held its final hearing on Oct. 4 and voted to recommend to City Council Map 1. At its Oct. 24th meeting, the Spokane City Council considered the recommendation and listened to testimony from about 40 individuals. In the following Council Commentary, members noted that additional comment had come from constituents, plus Council was impressed that representatives from the most affected neighborhoods (including the Neighborhood Council chairs) made the difference. The message was clear – keep the neighborhoods intact.

Council Member Wilkerson proposed an amendment to adopt Map 2. The amendment was approved 4 (yes), 2 (no) 1 (abstention).

The LWVSA board has endorsed Map 2 as to the best plan and will send a letter to the Council. LWVSA encourages others to do so as well.

You can provide comment to the citycouncil2 [at] spokanecity.org

Additional talking points included:

• ·Please don’t divide our neighborhoods. Support Map 2, which unites East Central, Riverside, and West Hills neighborhoods, which have been divided.
• ·Map 1 was the only map that divided East Central along Interstate-90, which continues the history of systemic racism that erodes Black influence and representation in Spokane.
• ·The new boundary of the West Hills neighborhood in Map 2 is maintaining the integrity of the neighborhood boundary.
• Map 2 strengthens Council representation by making sure that each neighborhood has only two Council Members, which reduces conflict over having disagreements on who is representing important neighborhood resources like the former East Central Library.
• The first comment period this summer through the ThoughtExchange resulted in overwhelming responses to keep neighborhoods intact.
• ·The Redistricting Board is not representative of the community. The Board also failed to conduct adequate outreach to neighborhoods to engage them in the redistricting process and didn’t allow enough time for public comment.
• This is about neighborhoods, not partisan politics

The Council will take their final vote on Nov. 7.Notice of Public Hearing  State statute requires that a new redistricting plan is approved by Nov. 15.

Comments to the citycouncil2 [at] spokanecity.org

 More Information:

The City of Spokene Redistricting Board redrew City Council District lines. There are FOUR NEW City Council district maps proposed.

Based on 2020 Census Data, the City of Spokane Redistricting Board is tasked with adjusting current district boundaries as necessary to make them as even as possible population-wise. This is not a full districting plan or overhaul of the current City Council Districts but is focused on simple boundary adjustments.

The deadline for this work is Nov. 15, 2022.

Washington State Law (RCW 29A.76.010) lays out the following criteria:

(4) The plan shall be consistent with the following criteria:

(a) Each internal director, council, or commissioner district shall be as nearly equal in population as possible to each and every other such district comprising the municipal corporation, county, or special purpose district.

(b) Each district shall be as compact as possible.

(c) Each district shall consist of geographically contiguous area.

(d) Population data may not be used for purposes of favoring or disfavoring any racial group or political party.

(e) To the extent feasible and if not inconsistent with the basic enabling legislation for the municipal corporation, county, or district, the district boundaries shall coincide with existing recognized natural boundaries and shall, to the extent possible, preserve existing communities of related and mutual interest.