Contact: Sen. Nikki Torres, 509-551-7250 | nikkitorresforstatesenate@gmail.com

March 15, 2024 - The decision from Judge Robert Lasnik in the Soto Palmer case was just handed down today. The case draws new boundaries for thirteen Washington state legislative districts.

Since the judge drew a new overall map, the exact Hispanic population numbers and political numbers are not known at the time of this drafting. But the new 3B map makes minor alterations to the 3A map already before the court (176 residents moved). Therefore, the 3A numbers will be used in this statement.

For purposes of the statistics below, the comparisons are between the district the judge makes the one with the highest Hispanic Citizen Voting Age Population (HCVAP) – Legislative District 14 – and the district which the Redistricting Commission made with the highest HCVAP – District 15. In essence, Judge Lasnik swaps Legislative Districts 15 and 14.

• LOWERS the number of Hispanics from the current 52.6% to 50.2%.

• Moves the first eastern Washington Latina elected Senator – Senator Nikki Torres – from the district which she won handily into a wholly new district with another incumbent Republican Senator – LD 16.

• Redistricts out Sen. Curtis King (LD 14).

• Redistricts out Sen. Brad Hawkins (LD 12).

• Likely redistricts out three Republican House members.

• Eliminates the Yakima Valley district that is a “toss-up” swing district (+1.8% GOP) and packs the other Yakima Valley district, which is already heavily Republican (+9.4% GOP), with more Republicans (+21.7% GOP). This allows the “toss-up” district to become solidly Democrat (+12%).

• Transforms a SW Washington district (LD 17) and another central Washington district (LD 12) into much more competitive districts for Democrats.

• Makes a massive disruption of people throughout the state. More than 500,000 people are moved affecting 13 districts – 12 of which are Republican and 1 Democrat. In comparison, the intervenors offered a map with around 80,000 people moved in only three districts. The intervenor map was rejected. Legally, maps are supposed to make the minimal changes needed to remedy the violation.

• It affects only Republican legislators who are being redistricted out of their districts. No Democratic legislators are redistricted out.

Sen. Torres had these remarks about the judge’s decision, “I am personally very disappointed in Judge Lasnik. He allowed the misuse of the Voting Rights Act to allow a partisan gerrymander of the Washington state redistricting map. This map DECREASES the number of Hispanics in Washington’s Majority-Minority district.

“This map moves me out of my district. I can stay the next two years, but then I will be cut off from helping the constituents who I grew up with and who I love to serve.”

The Voting Rights Act was supposed to empower affected minority populations. This map DECREASES the number of Hispanics in the Majority-Minority district and redistricts out the first Hispanic Senator in Eastern Washington history. “This map is a mockery of the Voting Rights Act and DISENFRANCHISES Hispanics – all to help the Democratic party gain seats towards a supermajority in the legislature.”

“I presume Judge Lasnik made this decision under the guise that a “Preferred Latino Candidate” was a Democrat, and the VRA mandated that the Majority-Minority district become more Democratic. However, he did this when a recent NY Times/Siena national poll found that only 20% of Hispanics describe themselves as liberal, 44% as moderate and 30% as conservative. We are a swing block of voters, not the uniform Democrat block that the Democratic party operatives alleged.”

“That is the most disappointing thing about this decision. This decision actually discriminates against eastern Washington Hispanics and assigns stereotypes given to them by their more liberal neighbors on the west side of the state. For a group of people who claim to want to know about the lived experience of their neighbors, they seem to want to ignore ours in their thirst for political power.”

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