Comments to Metropolitan Democratic Club, January 11th, 2012

The Commission completed their work with two and a half hours to spare.  Everyone has hopefully seen the maps.  The new 10th CD is around Olympia, the majority minority district is the 9th with Adam Smith as the incumbent.  The new 1st CD goes from Bothell to Bellingham.

Commission protected most of the incumbents, but we're seeing some fallout.  The 11th LD Senator was moved to the 37th, and she is retiring.  All three of the seats in the 11th may be open, and they lost their district chair to the 37th as well.

The State Party directed legislative districts to begin operating within the new boundaries within 30 days of adoption of the final plan by the legislature.  This means that I can't technically welcome the new members of the 46th until the plan is adopted.  But I'm already moving forward with the new boundaries and I'm encouraging other LD chairs to do the same.

The LDs in King County had quite a shakeup.  The chairs of the 11th, 37th, 45th, 47th and 48th all need new chairs, either because of resignation or redistricting.  I'm seeing long time activists who have been frustrated over the last few years step up and stand for election.  That's great.