Press release
The King County Districting Committee split Burien into two council districts Nov. 15 as it unanimously approved new King County Council district boundaries. The district plan has been filed with the Clerk of the Council and is effective immediately. Plan materials are online at www.kingcounty.gov/districting.

District 8 represented by Joe McDermott will take in the north part of Burien. Some 78 percent of Burien residents (37,336) are in District 8. About 10,680 are in District 5.

District 5, represented by Julia Patterson, expanded to take in south Burien and Normandy Park.

Patterson’s district also includes Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila.

District 5 is 49 percent minority while District 8 is 42 percent minority.

Former Burien Mayor Sally Nelson was one of five members of the committee charged with redistricting the council districts.

“The committee reached unanimous agreement on this plan thanks to the members’ commitment to work together, follow an open process, and truly listen to the communities of King County,” said chairman Terrence Carroll. “Public testimony was a cornerstone of our process: it raised new ideas, helped us better understand communities of interest, and enabled us to come together around common principles.”

More than 80 people testified in person and over 160 provided written testimony to the committee. The committee also consulted elected officials from all 39 cities and the county’s state legislators asking for them to share their expertise and insight on the communities they represent.

Testimony resulted in numerous changes to the rough drafts released in June. For example, the committee revised earlier drafts in order to keep the north-end suburban cities in one district and also made changes to keep all the Snoqualmie Valley cities in one district, specifically including unincorporated areas south of North Bend. Changes were also made to re-unite communities of interest, including the Skyway/West Hill area and the Beacon Hill community.

“No districting plan can be perfect, but the Committee made every effort to conduct its business openly, to listen to the public and use their ideas when possible, and to draw districts that truly serve the people of King County,” said Carroll.

Council district boundaries must be redrawn after each U.S. Census to make each district as nearly equal in population as possible. All districts in the approved plan are within one-quarter of one percent of the 2011 Council district target population of 214,583.

Under the law, the new district boundaries must be compact, contiguous, and composed of economic and geographic units. To the extent feasible, the districts must correspond with the boundaries of existing municipalities, election precincts, census tracts, recognized natural boundaries, and preserve communities of related and mutual interest. Population data may not be used for the purposes of favoring or disfavoring any racial group or political party.

The County Charter places sole responsibility for redistricting with the independent, citizen Districting Committee.