By Alison McCaffree, Redistricting Issue Chair, LWV of Washington

The 2026 midterm election saw wins that overwhelmed attempts to secure seats through gerrymandering. While the final numbers are not yet in, it is clear that without reform the craziness that happened in redistricting over the last 18 months, could happen again. Who loses? The voters.

LWV calls for fair redistricting across the nation. Congress could pass laws that ban partisan gerrymandering and mid-decade redistricting in addition to mandating that every state does its redistricting by citizen commission. In Washington state, our 5 person, bi-partisan commission is lacking representation from those not associated with the two major parties. Washington would greatly benefit from an expanded, more representative, citizen commission whose members are decided by an application and selection process.

Take Back the Maps
The League of Women Voters of Washington is advocating for changes to Washington’s redistricting process. Ultimately, the LWVWA calls for a constitutional amendment to create this expanded, citizen commission. This is called People First Redistricting. The current budget climate means that a short-term goal of adding guidelines to the current commission is more feasible. The current bill campaign, called Take Back the Maps, would increase transparency and accountability for the 2031 Washington State Redistricting Commission.