The article “Partisan redistricting that’s sweeping the country is unlikely to arrive here” (Aug. 16, A1) provides a transparent reason Washington is unlikely to comply with the hasty, brazen, mid-decade gerrymandering efforts at present underway in Texas. It additionally reminds us that our congressional district traces are among the many fairest, most equitably drawn within the nation.
Sadly, single-seat legislative districts and winner-take-all elections, each broadly accepted nationwide, make gerrymandering particularly straightforward. In addition they end in elected illustration that poorly displays differing voter views. In single-seat districts, voters of the winners are assured 100% of the illustration, all different voters — typically virtually half, often much more — none.
Even with two-seat districts — as with our Washington state Home — one celebration virtually all the time has each seats, the opposite celebration none. (Of Washington’s 49 districts just one at present has a Home member from every celebration.)
The Truthful Illustration Act was reintroduced in Congress in July. Its important provisions are unbiased redistricting commissions (not state legislatures), bigger multi-seat districts, multi-winner legislative elections and ranked-choice voting. These reforms would make gerrymandering virtually inconceivable. It’s reforms like these, not Texas, that deserve our critical consideration and persevering with efforts.
John Whitmer, Bellingham
