County Democrats Gather At Convention Center Saturday

Passage of the Washington Voting Rights Act by the 2013 Legislature is key to ensuring fair representation in Yakima City and County elections.

That will be emphasized by attorney David Perez, featured speaker at the FDR Dinner capping the annual convention of the Yakima County Democratic Party, Saturday, April 28 in the Convention Center.

“Minority groups are starving for representation in Yakima and other jurisdictions in Eastern Washington,” said Perez of the Perkins Coie firm of Seattle. He was lead drafter of the Voting Rights Act that died in the House floor on the final day of the just-ended legislative session.

“Democrats pulled the bill from consideration,” Perez said, “ after it was hit by 14 opposing amendments all filed by Republicans including those representing Yakima Valley’s 14^th and 15^th legislative districts. The Act will be reintroduced as our top piece of legislation in January.”

The FDR Dinner will wrap up a long day of activities starting at 10 a.m. with caucuses for the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th Legislative Districts in Yakima County. That begins a trail of delegate elections at the 4^th Congressional District Convention in Moses Lake, May 20^th; the State Convention in Seattle, June 1-3; and the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 3-6.