Federal appeals court affirms Washington's redrawn legislative district map

A controversial, court-ordered redrawing of Washington’s political maps has survived another round in a lengthy legal fight.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week that the revised legislative district maps, which sought to enhance the political voice of Latino voters in the Yakima Valley, “did not discriminate on the basis of race.”

In a 31-page decision issued Wednesday, the panel of three circuit judges affirmed the process followed by a lower court in penning new boundaries in central Washington, rejecting a Republican-led challenge to erase the lines and start over.

“The district court’s thoughtful attention to the details of the maps, population and voter numbers, and viable alternatives does not furnish evidence of racial predominance. Instead, it confirms that race was not the predominant factor in shaping the map,” Judge Margaret McKeown wrote in the opinion.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/08/29/federal-appeals-court-affirms-washingtons-redrawn-legislative-district-map/