Bipartisan County Redistricting Committee

Walla Walla County has formed a bipartisan committee to make redistricting recommendations to the county board of commissioners. This decision was driven by many public comments in favor of public input and districts that are more representative for all communities of interest. See the March 21 Walla Walla Union-Bulletin article for details, "Walla Walla County redistricting draws unexpected attention, calls for public input." An excerpt from that article follows.

Following an unusually crowded meeting Monday, March 14, the Walla Walla County Commission agreed to form a bipartisan committee to provide feedback as commissioners considers new district maps based on 2020 census data.

The decision came after an outpouring of residents requesting additional public input in the process, a number of whom wanted to see major changes to the map so that the cities of Walla Walla and College Place would be less divided than they are currently.
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“The way that the districts are currently configured, the urban areas — the city of Walla Walla and College Place — are divided among three different districts,” said Kari Isaacson, treasurer for the Walla Walla County Democrats, during Monday’s meeting.

“That seems to be a community of interest, those urban areas,” Isaacson said.
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Ultimately, commissioners agreed to form a committee that would provide feedback on district maps, though county commissioners retain final say on what maps are approved.

On Monday, March 21, commissioners announced the committee would be made up of Commissioner Todd Kimball, [County Auditor Karen] Martin, and [Elections Supervisor David] Valiant, as well as Kari Isaacson, Wendi Kregger, and Marjorie Sanborn, representing county Democrats, Republicans and independents respectively.

Other comments expressed concerns of gerrymandered districts that ensure single-party control of county government, dilution of Latino and other populations' representation, and the risk of legal exposure that other counties have faced over districts that diluted Latino voting power.

We encourage Democrats to write to the county board of commissioners and voice support for public input prior to a decision and for districting that makes two compact districts between the Walla Walla and College Place area's urban population: mwwcocommsioners@co.wallawalla.wa.us.