(The Center Square) – Democratic lawmakers in Washington state on Tuesday pre-filed legislation for mid-decade redistricting. The proposal is part of a broader national trend of a surge in efforts to redraw maps outside the typical post-census cycle.
House Joint Resolution 4209, sponsored by House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-West Seattle, and state Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma, is a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state Legislature to conduct congressional redistricting between decennial censuses.
The resolution would authorize the state to redraw its congressional district maps in the middle of the 10-year cycle, deviating from the current practice of redistricting only after the federal census every 10 years.
Per HJR 4209, if the state constitution is amended, the Legislature could adjust the congressional map with a majority vote in each chamber if another state engages in mid-decade redistricting for reasons other than a court order.
With a high-stakes battle for the 2026 midterms looming, the Evergreen State appears poised to join the trend of states using congressional redistricting for partisan advantage.
Last summer, Texas Republicans initiated a mid-decade redrawing to gain several U.S. House seats. That prompted California Democrats, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom, to launch a counter-effort to flip Republican seats in the state through Proposition 50, which was approved by voters in November.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, announced on Wednesday that he’s planning to call a special session on redistricting in Florida for April. Republicans there are looking to redraw the Sunshine State’s congressional map.
Washington’s 60-day legislative session starts on Jan. 12.
This is a developing story.
