School Director District Boundary Changes Proposed
Affects school board candidate elections only

Wahkiakum County, Wash. – Every ten years, after each U.S. Census is completed, school districts must review the boundaries of their board of director districts to ensure equitable geographic representation. Wahkiakum School District is divided into three geographic regions or districts and two at-large positions, one for each board seat. Candidates for the school board must run for the seat of the director district they live in or for one of the two at-large positions. By creating three equal director districts, geographic diversity is ensured on the school board. Each position is elected by all district voters, so each of the five directors represents the entire district in their board actions. 

Over the summer of 2022, the school district contracted with Sammamish Data Systems to develop a proposal for new director district boundaries based on the latest census data. Since the last realignment of director districts, there has been a slight shift in population within the county.  Ideally, each of the three districts would now have 1,185 residents within them based on the most recent census data.  Currently however each of the existing geographic positions is represented by: 929 residents in the 1^st district; 1,470 residents in the 2^nd  district; and 1,157 residents in the 3^rd district.  Based on the 2020 Census, it is proposed that these three districts be slightly adjusted to more evenly and equitably represent the three geographical districts and the most logical solution would place 1,188 residents in the 1^st district, 1,195 residents in the 2^nd district, and 1,173 residents in the 3^rd district.  The existing and proposed district boundaries can be found on the school district website.

A presentation and public hearing on this proposal will be held at the November 22, 2022 school board meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m.