Spokesman Review,  Letters to the Editor,   February 17, 2026  

Redistricting Commission Reform
Recently the Washington State Government and Tribal Relations Committee heard testimony on House Bill 4209, which calls for mid-decade redistricting. While House Majority Leader Fitzgibbon's proposal in response to other states' gerrymandering may be tempting for partisans, the League of Women Voters of Washington sees it as dangerous for our state, with the potential to be used to disenfranchise voters by party or race. The president of LWVWA, Karen Crowley, and Alison McCaffrey, seven-year chairperson of the Leagues' Washington State Redistricting Task Force, testified instead for reform of the commission by our next scheduled decade redistricting.
The reforms proposed by the League would expand the membership of the commission to include members of both parties as well as independent voices.

Goals of this reform include increasing representation that goes beyond partisanship, encouraging citizen engagement and access, and transparency for a fair process with accountability to the citizens of Washington. These reforms would prioritize people and expressed community needs over partisan interests, increasing civic participation. It would be a People First Redistricting Commission.

For over 100 years, the League of Women Voters has worked to register and inform voters after documented, careful study of issues. To protect voting rights, the cornerstone of our democracy, it is essential that the process by the Washington State Redistricting Commission is seen to be fair.
Please contact your legislators to express your concerns about mid-decade redistricting and urge broader reforms of the Commission that would establish a model of fair representation before the next decade's redistricting.

Sue Irwin and Ruth May
Co-presidents, League of Women Voters Spokane Area