Panel Rejects Challenge to Redrawn Washington Voting District

Three voters failed to convince a federal appeals court that a district court unconstitutionally redrew a Washington state voting map over concerns an earlier one disadvantaged Hispanic voters.

The lower court gave “thoughtful attention” to the maps’ details and didn’t use race as a predominant factor in the redrawing, Judge M. Margaret McKeown said. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit mostly affirmed the district court’s ruling and dismissed the intervening voters’ challenges for lack of jurisdiction.

“In particular, the map minimizes population deviations, maintains district compactness, and creates districts of contiguous, traversable territory that do not unnecessarily ...