OLYMPIA — On Wednesday, April 29, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, ruling that race should not factor in Louisiana’s congressional redistricting. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs shared the following statement:
“Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act, a pivotal piece of civil rights legislation ensuring that all voters are represented and empowered to vote.
“This decision erodes American democracy and voter representation across the country. Every American deserves fair representation and access to participate in our government regardless of their race or where they live. Redistricting should be undertaken with this commitment in mind.
“In Washington, we have an established process for redistricting, and we will continue to follow that process. State officials are committed to upholding the integrity of the process through the bipartisan Washington State Redistricting Commission, which is designed to provide fair representation and to ensure that elections in Washington are free and equal.
“Regardless of decisions made at the federal level, my office and the county elections offices we support will continue to administer secure, accurate, and accessible elections for all voters. As the primary and 2026 midterm elections approach, I will continue to defend and protect the fundamental rights of Washington voters.”
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees areas within state government including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office operates the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, and administers the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees and the Productivity Board state employee suggestion program. The Secretary of State oversees the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime and the Civic Engagement Program to increase governmental trust and participation for all Washingtonians.