politics
Critics call for reform of WA redistricting process after commission failure
The bipartisan panel's secretive negotiations and ultimate failure to approve new political maps has some questioning the process.
Melissa Santos
Melissa Santos is formerly a Crosscut staff reporter who covered state politics and the Legislature. She came to Crosscut from The Seattle Times editorial board, where she wrote columns and opinion pi
Latest work
politics
A look at last-minute deal-making in WA redistricting negotiations
A few issues caused members of Washington's bipartisan commission to negotiate down to the wire, contributing to their failure to finish on time.
politics
A Q&A with Kim Wyman, departing WA secretary of state
Once she joins the Biden administration Monday, there will be no Republican statewide elected officials on the West Coast outside of Alaska.
politics
In a first, court will decide new WA redistricting plan as commission falters
Members of a bipartisan commission couldn't agree. Now, the Washington Supreme Court will draw new political lines that will shape a decade of politics.
politics
New WA political maps a mystery after final redistricting meeting
For nearly 12 hours, the public didn't know if the state's bipartisan redistricting commission completed its work on time — or what exactly got approved — since talks happened mostly in private.