Information

Type: Legal Notice

Department: BOCC - Board of County Commissioners

Directors' Update: Nov. 24, 2021

Business Meeting: Nov. 30, 2021

Summary:

Notice of hearings for redistricting

Publications: The Chronicle: Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 The East County Journal: Dec. 8

Cover Letter To:

Additional Copies To: Larry Grove, Gary Hurley, Matt Hyatt, Tom Stanton, Terry Jouper

Resolution

WHEREAS, the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) plans to hold two hearings regarding proposed changes to commissioner district and precinct boundaries within Lewis County; and

WHEREAS, under the provisions of RCW 29A.76.010 and RCW 36.32.020, the BOCC is required to divide Lewis County into three commissioner districts, with each district comprising -- as nearly as possible -- one-third of the population of the county; and

WHEREAS, the BOCC also must ensure that voting precincts are not divided by commissioner district lines; and

WHEREAS, the BOCC must prepare a redistricting plan for the commissioner district boundaries every 10 years based on new data from the U.S. Census Bureau; and

WHEREAS, due to a new law the state Legislature passed in 2021 (SSB 5013, which amended RCWs 29A.76.010 and 29A.92.050), Lewis County must submit its redistricting plan by December 31, 2021, instead of “no later than eight months after receipt of the federal decennial census data,” as previously prescribed; and

WHEREAS, the county also may be required to again update its redistricting plan once the state Supreme Court considers potential changes to congressional districts after the Washington State Redistricting Commission (WSRC) -- a group created under the Constitution of the State of Washington as amended by the addition of Section 43 (Amendment 74, 1983 SSJR 103, November 8, 1983) -- missed its November 15, 2021, submission deadline; and

WHEREAS, staff from Lewis County's Geographic Information Systems (GIS) department, Auditor's Office and BOCC office have worked on options for the BOCC to review; and

WHEREAS, the various redistricting options will be available on the BOCC website at https://lewiscountywa.gov/offices/commissioners/ beginning Dec. 4, 2021.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the BOCC will hold two hearings on the county's proposed redistricting plans: the first will be at or after 10 a.m. December 14, 2021, and the second will be at or after 10 a.m. December 21, 2021, with both hearings taking place in the Commissioners' Hearing Room on the second floor of the historic courthouse at 351 N.W. North Street in Chehalis; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the BOCC is hereby instructed to proceed with all appropriate and necessary notifications, posting and publication for the hearings as required by law.

DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 30th day of November, 2021.