Yakima Auditor Ready To Make Changes To Voting System

The Yakima County Auditor's office is moving forward with changes to the county election system after a judge issued his ruling Tuesday in the federal voting rights case, Auditor Charles Ross tells KIT News.

"We in the elections department, even before I took office, have been planning for implementing the ACLU-style map," Ross said.

That map calls for the creation of seven voting districts in the city of Yakima, with council members elected from each. Latino citizens of voting age comprise more than half of one district, and nearly half of another.

Ross says once the city creates the new map they'll begin moving boundary lines and contacting voters to tell them they're in a new district. The auditor's work will continue unless the city decides to appeal the decision.

The filing period for candidates is May 11-15. The City Council, meantime, has 30 days to decide to appeal the court's decision. The council is holding an executive session on the ruling on Friday afternoon.