Celebration launches book about late U.S. Rep. Jennifer Dunn
January 11, 2013
NEW — 6 a.m. Jan. 11, 2013
Leaders plan to gather in Newcastle on Saturday to honor the late Jennifer Dunn, a long-serving representative in Congress for Issaquah and other Eastside communities.
The occasion is the release of “A Woman First: The Impact of Jennifer Dunn” — a book about the trailblazing Republican’s career, life and legacy.
“Jennifer Dunn was a true trailblazer in Washington politics,” Secretary of State Sam Reed said in a statement. “Whether it was becoming Washington’s first female Republican Party chair or attaining a high leadership position in Congress, she reached impressive heights during her career.”
The book launch event is scheduled for 3-5 p.m. Jan. 13 at The Golf Club at Newcastle, 15500 Six Penny Lane. The scheduled speakers include Reed, former U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, and radio talk show host and onetime gubernatorial candidate John Carlson.
Supreme Court upholds state redistricting plan
May 8, 2012
The state Supreme Court has authorized use of the redrawn political boundaries for upcoming elections, even as a citizen challenge to the Washington State Redistricting Commission’s maps continues to proceed.
The bipartisan commission responsible for reshaping the districts spent 2011 redrawing legislative and congressional districts. State legislators then made minor modifications and the plan entered into effect Feb. 7.
Vancouver resident John Milem filed a challenge against the redistricting plan Feb. 8. The longtime redistricting observer contended the reshaped maps granted too much power to Western Washington counties.
Commissioners divided Issaquah between the 5th and 41st legislative districts to determine representation in Olympia, and kept the city in a reshaped 8th Congressional District for federal representation.
Dave Reichert’s district retains Issaquah under redrawn congressional map
January 3, 2012
Dave Reichert
Issaquah remains in U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert’s 8th Congressional District but some Issaquah School District communities shift to another district as the state panel responsible for a redrawn political map shifts boundaries to create a new congressional district centered in Olympia.
In a plan unveiled Dec. 28, Washington State Redistricting Commission members Tim Ceis and Slade Gorton proposed a 10th Congressional District based in the capital city and a 9th Congressional District stretching from Tacoma to Bellevue.
The redrawn 8th District — confined to King and Pierce counties in the existing arrangement — is stretched from South King County to Wenatchee in Chelan County. The current and future district includes Issaquah.
Under the redrawn map, Issaquah remains in a redrawn 8th District alongside other cities contained inside existing district boundaries — North Bend, Sammamish and Snoqualmie — plus Pierce, Chelan and Kittitas counties.
Issaquah remains in Dave Reichert’s district under proposed congressional map
December 28, 2011
NEW — 12:05 p.m. Dec. 28, 2011
Issaquah remains in U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert’s district and some Issaquah School District communities shift to another district as the state panel responsible for a redrawn political map shifts boundaries to create a congressional district centered in Olympia.
In a plan unveiled Wednesday, Washington State Redistricting Commission members Tim Ceis and Slade Gorton proposed a 10th Congressional District based in the capital city and a 9th Congressional District stretching from Tacoma to Bellevue.
The proposed 9th District encompasses Newcastle in the Issaquah School District. Tacoma Democrat Adam Smith represents the 9th District in Congress.
Latest political proposal splits Issaquah into suburban, rural districts
December 20, 2011
Washington State Redistricting Commission members Tim Ceis and Slade Gorton proposed a 41st Legislative District stretching from Mercer Island to Sammamish. Contributed
The latest proposal to redraw Washington’s political map shifts more Issaquah neighborhoods into a suburban legislative district.
In a plan unveiled Dec. 16, Washington State Redistricting Commission members Tim Ceis and Slade Gorton proposed a 41st Legislative District stretching from Mercer Island to Sammamish. The proposal encompasses North Issaquah, Newcastle and most Bellevue neighborhoods.
The proposed map puts the remaining Issaquah neighborhoods in the 5th Legislative District — a more rural area stretched from Issaquah to Snoqualmie Pass.
Under a legislative map adopted a decade ago, Issaquah is split between the 41st and 5th districts at 12th Avenue Northwest.
South Cove and other neighborhoods along Lake Sammamish fall inside the 48th Legislative District. The proposal from Ceis and Gorton moves the 48th District north to encompass Bellevue and Redmond.
Latest political proposal splits Issaquah into suburban, rural districts
December 16, 2011
NEW — 4:15 p.m. Dec. 16, 2011
The latest proposal to redraw Washington’s political map shifts more Issaquah neighborhoods into a suburban legislative district.
In a plan unveiled Friday, Washington State Redistricting Commission members Tim Ceis and Slade Gorton proposed a 41st Legislative District stretched from Mercer Island to Sammamish. The proposal encompasses North Issaquah, Newcastle and most Bellevue neighborhoods.
The proposed map puts the remaining Issaquah neighborhoods in the 5th Legislative District — a more rural area stretched from Issaquah to Snoqualmie Pass.
Under a legislative map adopted a decade ago, Issaquah is split between the 41st and 5th districts at 12th Avenue Northwest.
State redistricting panel could reshape Issaquah’s political map
November 1, 2011
Washington’s political map is due to undergo a monumental change next year.
Issaquah may shift into a reshaped legislative district as a result. Or maybe not.
Democrats on the state panel responsible for redrawing the political map recommended for a redrawn 41st Legislative District to absorb all of Issaquah. Meanwhile, Republicans on the Washington State Redistricting Commission said most of the city should remain in the neighboring 5th Legislative District.
Commissioners released the proposed maps — and narrowed the number of possibilities for legislative districts — Oct. 14.
Under a legislative map adopted a decade ago, Issaquah is split between the 41st and 5th districts at 12th Avenue Northwest. South Cove and other neighborhoods along Lake Sammamish fall inside the 48th Legislative District.
The latest proposals from the redistricting commission remove the 48th District from the Issaquah equation. Instead, Democrats said the city should join Mercer Island, Newcastle and a portion of Bellevue in a suburban 41st District.
Latest political maps offer Issaquah similar, different options from status quo
October 16, 2011
NEW — 6 a.m. Oct. 16, 2011
Washington’s political map is due to undergo a monumental change next year.
Issaquah may shift into a reshaped legislative district as a result. Or maybe not.
Democrats on the state panel responsible for redrawing the political map recommended for a redrawn 41st Legislative District to absorb all of Issaquah. Meanwhile, Republicans on the Washington State Redistricting Commission said most of the city should remain in the neighboring 5th Legislative District.
Commissioners released the proposed maps Oct. 14. The proposals narrowed the number of possibilities for legislative districts.
State redistricting panel calls for comments on proposed maps
October 6, 2011
NEW — 8 a.m. Oct. 6, 2011
Washington’s political map is due to undergo a monumental shift next year, and citizens can comment on the proposed plans to reshape Evergreen State congressional and legislative districts.
The state panel responsible for redrawing the political map is hosting a public hearing on the proposals at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Olympia. Members meet on the Capitol campus in Senate Hearing Room 4, Cherberg Building, 304 15th Ave.
“Since the plans were made public, we’ve received lots of comment through our website,” Lura Powell, Washington State Redistricting Commission chairwoman, said in a statement. “But not everyone is comfortable with giving us input in that way, so we’re offering this public meeting to provide other ways for people to participate.”
Redrawn maps could shift Issaquah congressional, legislative districts
September 20, 2011
Issaquah could shift into a redrawn congressional district under plans from the panel responsible for redrawing Washington’s political map.
The bipartisan Washington State Redistricting Commission unveiled four proposals — one from each commissioner — Sept. 13 to reshape the state’s congressional districts. The task for commissioners is made more complicated by the addition of a 10th district to account for population growth since 2000.
The maps serve as a starting point as commissioners negotiate the boundaries for the 2012 elections. If the commission fails to create a final map by Jan. 1, then the state Supreme Court is responsible for redrawing the districts.
Issaquah, long inside 8th Congressional District boundaries, could shift into the 1st Congressional District as commissioners assemble districts using data from the 2010 Census.
