With activities ignited by legislators in Texas and the governor in California, League of Women Voters members across the nation are wrestling with the question of mid-cycle redistricting.

At all levels of our tri-federated structure—local, state and national—the League believes that redistricting should only happen every 10 years and be based on population. Furthermore, the process should always put communities of interest before partisan advantage.

For that reason and others, the League strongly opposes the “gerrymandering arms race” that began earlier this summer when Texas lawmakers succumbed to President Trump’s demands to redraw districts to benefit Republicans and Gov. Newsom in California responded with a push to have districts redrawn in California to benefit Democrats.

The “arms race” continues with activity and discussions elsewhere, including in Florida, New York, Nebraska, Ohio and New Jersey.

The League believes these tactics disenfranchise voters, especially Black and brown voters.

While opposing mid-cycle redistricting, the League affirms that any redistricting process must include these guarantees:

Transparency Is Vital

• All states undertaking mid-cycle redistricting must adhere to transparent, nonpartisan standards that protect voters and communities.
• Legislators and commissions must hold public hearings, release draft maps and provide clear explanations for any proposed map changes.
• All redistricting deliberations must occur in open forums, subject to state open meeting laws. Members of the public must have access to draft maps, data and decision-making processes at every stage.
• Public hearings and opportunities for feedback must be guaranteed in all affected communities. States should hold hearings in the evenings and weekends to increase access.

Communities

Legislators implementing new maps must protect people over political interests. States must avoid practices that dilute or divide communities that have been historically and continuously targeted by manipulative map-drawing:

• Majority-minority districts
• Native American reservations
• Young voters in colleges and universities
• Rural and agricultural communities

Finally, officials for the national organization officials have asserted, “If you harm our communities, the League of Women Voters will fight back in court and at the ballot box."

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In Washington, we note the state is very unlikely to redistrict at this time. A federal lawsuit forced the redrawing of Washington legislative maps in 2024. And state lawmakers are unlikely to convene a special session to call the Redistricting Commission back into session to redo Congressional maps.

To learn more about redistricting in Washington and the League’s efforts to improve the process, join the Redistricting Reform Task Force, which meets at 2pm the third Monday of each month. Links can be found on the LWVWA event calendar.