Team —

It may only be Wednesday, but it has been a week.

Monday at 11:59 pm was the deadline for the bipartisan redistricting commission to finalize Washington’s legislative and congressional district maps. They didn’t meet the deadline.

Those of you who, like me, stayed up past my bedtime to watch the process probably have a lot of questions. Why were there no public deliberations? What did they vote on right around midnight? What happens next? When will we see final maps

The Washington State Supreme Court now has jurisdiction to draw the lines and, according to the law, must finalize their maps by April 30th.

But just after 9pm last night (Tuesday), maps appeared on the Washington Redistricting Commission website that they’ve transmitted to the Court. Again I stayed up alongside the political nerds & reporters of Washington to look at the maps and ask questions. Why publish now, after the deadline? What do these lines mean for our communities? Where exactly is that line cutting through? Will the Court be influenced by this map?

I don’t have a lot of answers, but I do know that even though this commission solicited more public comment than any previous commission, the process needs to be improved. The final hours were not as transparent as the people of Washington deserve. And the maps themselves are flawed in a couple of ways. 1) They are likely out of compliance with the US Voting Rights Act, according to analysis by Matt Baretto, faculty director of the UCLA Voting Rights Project. 2) They disregard the overwhelming public testimony from neighbors in Bremerton, asking to be in one legislative district.

Now it’s up to the Supreme Court. And we may not know what our 2022 district lines look like until April 30th — just about 3 months before the primary election.

Meanwhile this week, members of the Legislature gathered (on zoom) for Committee Assembly Week. For me, that meant a meeting of Health & Long Term Care and an update on the pandemic and workforce challenges; Transportation and a chance to push back on Washington State Ferries current plan of restoring service Bremerton last among all other runs; chairing the Higher Education & Workforce Development meeting on the role of higher education in economic development, including options for adult learners and pathways from apprenticeships to college; and, joint committees with members of the House, including chairing today’s Joint Legislative Executive Committee on Planning for Aging & Disability Issues.

We sprinkled in meetings with constituents and lobbyists and staff to work on bills and get ready for session.

And it’s only Wednesday.

Today also marks 22 days until the fundraising freeze in advance of the legislative session. Washington law requires all lawmakers to stop raising money 30 days before session starts. We can start up again after session adjourns in March.

We only have 22 days to build up our reserves so that we can run the strongest campaign possible in in 2022 — in a district whose district boundaries have yet to be drawn.

How can you help?

✨Join me, Congressman Derek Kilmer, and special guest emcee *Stella Keating* next Monday 11/22 for a conversation & virtual fundraiser in support of my campaign

✨Give what you can , and forward this email to 3 friends asking them to join you!

✨Respond to this email if you’d like to host a fundraiser with your friends, family and neighbors — in your home or on zoom — between now and December 10th!