Saturday, April 28
12noon-1pm
Yakima Convention Center (during the Yakima County Democrats Convention)
Bring your own lunch!

Presenters:
Fe Lopez, Latino Bar Association of WA
David Perez, Seattle U Korematsu Law Center
Cherry Cayabyab, Win\Win Network
Moderator: Mary Stephenson, Chair – Yakima County Democrats

People of color, especially Latinos, in Yakima have made significant political gains through the redistricting process. Learn about the opportunities and impacts in the 15th legislative district, WA’s first Latino majority (55%) legislative district in Yakima and the WA Voting Rights Act.

In Washington State, communities of color now have unique opportunities for civic empowerment and fair representation created by the once-a-decade Census and subsequent redistricting process. Statewide, about one out of every four residents identifies as non-white. In Yakima County, people of color, predominantly Latino, are officially the majority. These growing numbers have not been matched by a significant increase in political representation.

Underlying structural aspects of our electoral system can create barriers to full representation. One of these structural aspects is the way we create and set rules for political boundaries. Redistricting, as it is practiced in most of the U.S., is an exercise of drawing lines to favor one group/individual over another. Often, this means splitting up a geographic concentration of people of color into several districts to shrink its effective political base. Rules such as at-large voting for local office can often disadvantage candidates of color. For example, the City of Yakima has never elected a Latino to city council, yet Latinos are now over 40% of the residents. New legislations such as the WA Voting Rights Act may address these issues.

Please join us at this event to discuss these important issues and how you can take action! This is a free community event. Snacks and refreshments provided.

Please RSVP to info@fairrepresentationwa.org.

http://fairrepresentationwa.org/

http://fairrepresentationwa.org/wvra/

The WA Voting Rights Act (HB2612 | SB6381) will ensure that all communities have an equal opportunity for their vote to count. Without a WVRA, many communities are without representation in local government. The WVRA will increase civic engagement in minority communities and restore faith in representative government. After the passage of the California Voting Rights Act in 2001, California saw an increase in minority representation in local elected  office, which corresponded with an increase in voter registration and turnout in the same communities. Read more at http://fairrepresentationwa.org/wvra/.

The WVRA has strong endorsements from Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA 1), Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA 9), and King County Council Members Bob Ferguson and Larry Gossett.

It is essential that supporters make calls/send e-mails ASAP to their lawmakers to support the WA Voting Rights Act of 2012, we have until Tuesday (Feb 14) at 5:00pm to pass the bill out of the House!

Please contact the following key legislators:

Message – Please support HB2612, the Washington Voting Rights Act to make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity for their vote to count. (VRA Talking Points attached).

Kagi (32 – Shoreline) – 360-786-7910 ; ruth.kagi@leg.wa.gov

Hansen (23 – Bainbridge Island) – 360-786-7842 ; drew.hansen@leg.wa.gov

Moeller (49 – Vancouver) – 360-786-7872 ; jim.moeller@leg.wa.gov

Takko (19 – Pacific County) – 360-786-7806 ; takko.dean@leg.wa.gov

Kelley (28 – Lakewood/University Place) – 360-786-7890 ; troy.kelley@leg.wa.gov

Blake (19 – Pacific County) – 360-786-7870 ; brian.blake@leg.wa.gov

Kirby (29 – Tacoma) – 360-786-7996 ; steve.kirby@leg.wa.gov

Green (28 – Lakewood/University Place) – 360-786-7958 ; tami.green@leg.wa.gov

Leadership:

Speaker Chopp (43 – Capitol Hill/U-District) – 360-786-7920 ; frank.chopp@leg.wa.gov

Sullivan (47 – Kent/Auburn/Covington/Black Diamond) – 360-786-7858; pat.sullivan@leg.wa.govpat.sullivan@leg.wa.gov

Your Legislator:

1.800.562.6000

February 6, 2012

Ferguson, Gossett introduce measure supporting
Washington Voting Rights Act of 2012

Urge state legislature to adopt law requiring equal opportunity in elections

Metropolitan King County Councilmembers Bob Ferguson and Larry Gossett today introduced a motion in support of the Washington Voting Rights Act of 2012, legislation currently under consideration by the state legislature.

“The Washington Voting Rights Act will strengthen our democracy here in King County and across our state,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, who oversees the county elections department as Chair of the Council’s Government Accountability, Oversight, and Financial Performance Committee. “Ensuring an equal opportunity to participate in the political process is fundamental to the integrity of our system of government.”

“Voting is essential to active participation in our democracy. The denial of the right to vote in our elections has disproportionately affected immigrants and communities of color,” said Council Chair Larry Gossett. “The Washington Voting Rights Act of 2012 is an important step to increasing the voter turnout in these communities across the state.”

If approved by the state legislature, the law will enhance existing protections under the federal Voting Rights Act. Congress enacted the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment’s prohibition against states denying citizens the right to vote based on race or color.

The Washington Voting Rights Act would promote equal representation by helping ensure at-large elections and district-based elections could not be maintained in a manner that dilutes the votes of a protected class. Under the law, voters could challenge local elections in state courts when a protected class is denied an equal opportunity to elect candidates of its choice or an equal opportunity to influence the outcome of an election.

The Washington Voting Rights Act is modeled after a similar law passed in California in 2002. Since California adopted its measure, there has been a significant increase in minority representation in local elected offices and in civic participation among minority communities.

Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s LEGISEARCH system at
http://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov and type in “2012-0069”

Follow the Council’s deliberations through Twitter by signing up through the
King County Council Web site at:
www.kingcounty.gov/council
Watch all Council proceedings held in chambers LIVE on King County TV
on Comcast and Broadstripe Cable on channel 22, or online at:
www.kingcounty.gov/KCTV

# # #

February 3, 2012
Contact: David Perez , perez.a.david@gmail.com, 206.618.4293

Jay Inslee, Adam Smith, and Bob Ferguson Endorse the Washington Voting Rights Act

OLYMPIA, Washington — The Washington Voting Rights Act of 2012 (HB 2612 / SB 6381) received a big boost today with three strong endorsements from Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA 1), Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA 9), and King County Council Member Bob Ferguson.

The Washington Voting Rights Act would provide voters in Washington State with the ability to challenge voting systems that have left entire communities with no voice in our political process. In particular, some at-large electoral systems make it nearly impossible for certain communities to get political representation. Under the Washington Voting Rights Act, voters can challenge these at-large systems when they can prove “racially polarized voting.” The Seattle Times Editorial Board called the remedy of providing for district-based elections “a solid avenue for voter redress.”

“I am proud to support the Washington State Voting Rights Act of 2012. “’One Person, One Vote’ is at the heart of our democracy,” said Congressman Adam Smith in a statement. “This meaningful legislation would insure that racial minorities have the best possible opportunity to be heard and be well represented by their elected officials, just like all other Washingtonians. This is a simple matter of equality that ensures that everyone has the same opportunities guaranteed in the Federal Voting Rights Act. This piece of legislation will help ensure this happens here in Washington State.”

Gubernatorial candidate, Jay Inslee, agrees. “I applaud the efforts of the broad coalition supporting the Washington Voting Rights Act and am proud to support this important legislation. Our democracy is dependent on robust participation of both the electorate and those willing to serve. Any healthy democracy must seek diversity and equitable representation for all. In instances where it is clear that opportunity is being repressed, there must be a process for righting that wrong. That’s why, in 2006, I voted for a 25 year extension of expiring portions of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act and why I support efforts to promote equality and democracy at the local and state level as well–including the Washington Voting Rights Act.”

“I am pleased to support the Washington Voting Rights Act,” said Bob Ferguson, candidate for Attorney General, in a statement. “This legislation will affirm Washington State’s commitment to the principles of democracy, fairness, and equal representation. It will provide a set of tools to help us build an even stronger democracy in Washington State.”

The Washington Voting Rights Act has already passed through committees in both the House and Senate and is currently in the each house’s Rules Committee. The prime sponsor of HB2612 is Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney (D-46), while Senator Margarita Prentice (D-11) is the prime sponsor of SB6381.

For more information and to endorse the WA Voting Rights Act, visit fairrepresentationwa.org/wvra. Support for the bill is led by the Fred Korematsu Center for Law & Equality, OneAmerica Votes, and Win-Win Action via United for Fair Representation – a coalition of organizations and community leaders that formed to educate and encourage our communities to participate in the democratic process to achieve fair representation.

###

In addition, the WVRA bill was voted out the Senate committee today and the House committee earlier this week!  Please stay tuned on how to take action to support its passage!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2017397755_edit02voting.html

HISPANICS are the fastest-growing demographic in Washington state yet they are hugely underrepre-sented in local elected offices. This raises questions about equal opportunity guaranteed in the federal Voting Rights Act.

For more information, visit http://fairrepresentationwa.org/wvra/

The Washington State Redistricting Commission meets in South Seattle to take public testimony on redrawing the state’s congressional and legislative district boundaries.

http://www.tvw.org/scripts/iframe_video.php?eventID=2011080021&start=0&stop=7639

Monday, January 30
6pm-8pm
School of Law Annex, Seattle University
1215 E. Columbia St., Seattle, WA
View Map · Get Directions

RSVP now to info@fairrepresentationwa.org or via Facebook! This is a free community event.

People of color have made significant political gains through the redistricting process. Learn about…

- WA’s first people of color majority Congressional District (the 9th CD).

- Four people of color majority legislative districts; including WA’s first Latino majority legislative district in Yakima (15th LD).

- We will also launch our legislative campaign for the WA Voting Rights Act of 2012. Learn more about this important legislation and how to support its passage.

Hosts: Seattle U Law, Fred Korematsu Center for Law & Equality and United for Fair Representation Coalition: Win/Win Network, Asian Pacific Americans for Civic Empowerment (APACE), Latina/o Bar Association of WA, Black PAC, Tacoma Black Collective, One America, Latino Community Fund, Latino PAC

RSVP now to info@fairrepresentationwa.org or via Facebook!

http://fairrepresentationwa.org/
http://fairrepresentationwa.org/wvra/

- WA’s first majority-minority Congressional District (the 9th CD).
- Four majority-minority legislative districts; including WA’s first Latino majority legislative district in Yakima (15th LD).
- The introduction of redistricting related state legislation, the WA Voting Rights Act of 2012.

Save the date! This is a free community event.
Monday, Jan 30 from 6pm-8pm.
Location TBD

Please RSVP to info@fairrepresentationwa.org or via Facebook.

Liz Jones
01/09/2012

Today, Washington’s redistricting commission plans to release its final report about the state’s new political maps. One slice of the map reflects an historic development in state politics. That’s the creation of a congressional district where minorities make up the majority of the population. Minority groups in the Puget Sound area hope it’ll give them more representation in Congress. KUOW’s Liz Jones takes us on a tour of this diverse community and brand new voting bloc.

TRANSCRIPT

Ok, so this tour is super short. It begins and ends at a shopping plaza in Seattle’s south end, near the Othello light–rail station. My guide is Cherry Cayabyab. She lives just down the street.

Cayabyab: “You’ve got a lot of Vietnamese–owned businesses. You’ve got restaurants, bakeries, cafes. You can see the Cajun Crawfish.”

She describes the Cajun Crawfish as Southern food with a Vietnamese twist.

Cayabyab: “And right across the street you have a Mexican cafe and a Somali cafe.”

This densely packed strip mall radiates the cultural diversity of this area. It’s a microcosm of the state’s new 9th Congressional District, and minorities are clearly the majority here. Store signs beckon in various languages. And the plaza is bustling with Asians, Latinos and East Africans.

Liz Jones: “It looks really busy. The parking lot is pretty much completely full.”

Cayabyab: “This is actually relatively tame.”

Cayabyab is also a community organizer for the nonprofit, United for Fair Representation. It sprang up after the 2010 census. The data showed Washington’s population growth earned it a new congressional seat. And the group wanted the state’s new political map to include a majority–minority district.

This one just barely qualifies, with a minority population of 50.3 percent. Although, that does not necessarily mean that a majority of registered voters are minorities.

As we weave around the busses and light rail in a rainstorm, Cayabyab says even a tiny majority matters. She hopes it’ll tell minority voters here that their turnout can make a difference.

Cayabyab: “There is opportunity to elect somebody that looks like them, and I think that’s exciting. And that gives hope. That gives promise that the issues that we face will be addressed.”

Liz Jones: “So you think this will encourage people to get out and vote more?”

Cayabyab: “Oh definitely.”

Cayabyab says key issues for this community include affordable housing, economic development and comprehensive immigration reform.

The redrawn 9th stretches from Bellevue to northeast Tacoma. It includes South Seattle, Tukwila, Kent and Federal Way. Cayabyab admits this plan for the majority–minority district falls short of the one they wanted.

Cayabyab: “We wanted it to be called the new 10th Congressional District with an open seat. But it got called the 9th Congressional District and with Adam Smith as the incumbent.”

Liz Jones: “Why did you want an open seat?”

Cayabyab: “We wanted to have the opportunity to elect a person of color.”

Cayabyab admits that’s now a longshot, at least for a while. Matt Barreto agrees. He teaches political science at the University of Washington.

Barreto: “So I think it’ll take many years, perhaps until the retirement of Mr. Smith before this becomes a minority seat. This is going to be very difficult for any up–and–comers to challenge a US congressman.”

Adam Smith has represented this solidly Democratic district for 15 years. He’s seeking another term in November. But this time around, he may face a Democratic challenger. Seattle City Councilman Bruce Harrell, who’s half black and half Asian, is entertaining the idea.

For now, however, Barreto considers the 9th a majority–minority district in name only. And he questions whether the redistricting commission made the best call for this community.

Barreto: “If they truly believed in minority representation, they would’ve created a majority–minority district that was open. But the fact that they put it in a seat with an incumbent, and one that’s likely to win, means that the majority–minority district does not really provide an opportunity for those minority voters.”

Back at the shopping plaza, Cayabyab and I duck out of the rain into a Somali cafe. About 20 men are seated around picnic–style tables, shouting comments at each other and at the TV. Owner Ali Hagi is behind the counter.

Jones: “You’re pretty busy in here. It’s full.”

Hagi: “Yes, it’s too busy. They watch the football game, the basketball game, all the games here.”

Near the door, we chat with a customer named Abuu Bakar Ali. To him, it would make a difference to have a person of color represent him Congress.

Bakar Ali: “Because they know our culture, they know what we need, they know our perspective. They can be a role model. Yes, of course.”

Yet others I meet in the plaza say a politician’s skin color doesn’t matter. They’ll vote for the person who works hardest for this community.

Back where we started, community organizer Cherry Cayabyab wraps up our three–block mini tour. Her work ahead is to try to leverage the voting power in this new district. That includes putting pressure on Representative Adam Smith to listen and respond to this community’s needs.

Cayabyab: “He has to fight, you know, to win our support and he has to show us that he’ll represent us fairly and accountably.”

Jones: “When you say fight for your support, that implies to me that he doesn’t have it currently.”

Cayabyab: “Not necessarily, we’ll have to see. Actions speak louder than words.”

Cayabyab suggests Smith will need to spend more time in the diverse neighborhoods of the new 9th, in places like this plaza, and build relationships.