Washington’s 2021 Redistricting Commission is preparing to begin its one-every-10-year task. The board will hold public meetings around the state later this spring to help guide its work of redrawing political boundaries.
The League of Women Voters, this week, will hold two public webinars about redistricting and how people can let their voices be heard.The redistricting process is important because it will determine in which legislative and congressional districts you will vote for the next several years.
But, says April May from the Spokane chapter of the League of Women Voters, it is not a process familiar to many voters.
“I think people hear things in the news about gerrymandering and about district lines and they have, like me personally, I have this high level thought about what it means, but when you actually start delving into it, it gets kind of complicated," she said.
On Monday, the Spokane chapter will sponsor what it calls a Redistricting 101 workshop and hear from county Auditor Vicky Dalton. On Saturday, the league will offer tips for testifying at one of the redistricting commission’s public meetings.
“These schools are not telling people what to testify about, what their specific concerns are, we’re giving them information and then telling them how to present that to the commission in a very succinct and effective way," she said.
May says the skills people will learn at this workshop will help them in other civic settings, for example at a city council meeting.
The free Monday and Saturday workshops will begin at 1 pm via Zoom. You can register at the Spokane League of Women Voters website.