OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Republican leaders have named former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton and former state legislator Tom Huff to the bipartisan commission that will redraw the state’s congressional and legislative districts, including carving out a district for a new congressional seat.
Along with Democrats that include former Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis and Dean Foster who served as Gov. Booth Gardner’s chief of staff, the commission will take a year to redraw the political map.
Washington gained one congressional seat after the results of the Census were revealed in December.
The redistricting process is handled by the citizen Redistricting Commission. The commission is composed of two Democrats, two Republicans and a nonvoting chairman. It was created by constitutional amendment nearly 20 years ago to take the time-consuming and intensely political process out of the hands of the Legislature and governor.
Gorton’s and Huff’s appointments were announced Tuesday by House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, and Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla.
