First agreement on Washington's Congressional map reached

Washington’s political redistricting commission has its first Congressional map that at least one Democrat and one Republican can agree on. The two have not released details yet.

Members of the Washington Redistricting Commission plan to release a map Wednesday that could demarcate the state's Congressional boundaries for the next 10 years.

It was a breakthrough for Washington's Redistricting Commission: the first bipartisan Congressional district plan. Population growth in the 2010 Census earned Washington another House seat –- bringing it to an even 10.

Democratic commissioner Tim Ceis says he and his Republican colleague, Slade Gorton, reached a compromise on how to carve that seat out of Washington's political map.

“Hopefully the other commissioners will see it as we do, that it's a good fair equal plan,” Ceis says.

One of the questions that proved contentious at earlier public meetings is whether to create a “majority-minority” district. That is, a district largely made up of minority voters, likely around the Renton-Kent-South Seattle area. It’s not clear yet how this plan addresses that question.

The Washington Redistricting Commission has until Sunday to come up with maps both for the state's new Congressional and legislative lines.

On the Web:

• Washington State Redistricting Commission

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