Congressman Adam Smith, who is seeking a ninth term in office in a newly drawn congressional district, will meet with local residents at a Town Hall meeting set for 7-8:30 pm Thursday Feb. 23 at Bellevue City Hall.
The longterm congressman will face election in a newly drawn congressional district borders outlined earlier this year by the State Redistricting Commission. The 9th District now includes Bellevue.
Bellevue has been represented by the 8th District Republican congressman, Dave Reichert of Auburn.
The change becomes official Jan. 3, 2013, but Smith and other Congressional representatives seeking reelection must run for office in the new district lines in November's general election.
Smith's only declared challenger in the congressional race is Parkland Republican Jim Postma. Seattle City Councilman Bruce Harrell, a Democrat, has also indicated he is interested in the seat but hasn't officially announced his intention to enter the race. The filing deadline for the ballot is May 18, 2012.
According to the demographic information on the Washington State Redistricting Commission website, the 9th Congressional district will the most racially diverse in the state, with slightly more than half of residents being nonwhite.
More than 150,000 residents in the new district are of Asian decent, according to the redistricting commission. (About 20 percent of Bellevue residents are of Asian descent.)
Redistricting moved Bellevue and Mercer Island into the 9th District for the November 2012 General Election. The new districts were formally adopted by the State Legislature on Feb. 1.
If you go
Town Hall meeting with Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA9) is set for 7-8:30 pm Thursday Feb. 23 at Bellevue City Hall, 450 110th Ave NE, Bellevue,
