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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

Redistricting panel: No decision on E. WA legislative or congressional boundaries

OLYMPIA -- The Washington Redistricting Commission does not have maps for Eastern Washington legislative districts, or for the state's new congressional boundaries.

Commissioners met this afternoon, and the separate teams trying to come up with maps for those two tasks said they weren't done. And they had varying descriptions of how close they are.

"We're down to some final details we have to work on," Commissioner Tim Ceis said about the congressional map.

"It's all in the eye of the beholder how close we really are," Commissioner Tom Huff said of the Eastern Washington legislative map. "There's a possibility we will have a map tomorrow."

"I wouldnl't hold out too much hope for tomorrow," Commissioner Dean Foster said of the Eastern Washington map. "It takes a while to turn around a map."

The commission split 2-2 on whether they should keep their 10:30 a.m. meeting Friday, but because it would take a majority vote to take it off the schedule, the meeting will happen whether they've got maps or not. Expect a very short session if there are no maps to put in the County Auditor's Christmas stockings for review this week.

Commission Chairwoman Lura Powell, who doesn't have a vote, told the four voting members to try to come in Friday with something, even it if they are just partial maps.



The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.