Creates the Washington Voting Rights Act of 2013, to promote equal voting opportunity in certain political subdivisions by authorizing district-based elections, requiring redistricting and new elections in certain circumstances, and establishing a cause of action to redress lack of voter opportunity.   Official Text and Analysis.

Permits political subdivisions who already conduct districtbased elections to change their election system if necessary to remedy a potential violation. Similarly, a plaintiff is now considered a prevailing party, not only where, to comply with the Act after an action is filed, a political subdivision with an at-large election system adopts or implements a district-based election system, but also where a political subdivision with a district-based election system changes its system by redistricting.

Establishes requirements and qualifications for persons appointed by a judge to redistrict. Any person appointed must be a qualified expert in redrawing district lines in the state.

Provides that a new lawsuit cannot be brought against a political subdivision that has been subject to a Voting Rights Act challenge and has redistricted, with approval of the court, until the population within the political subdivision has significantly changed and protected class members constitute fifty percent or more of the voting age population.

Specifies that a finding of polarized voting is based on the totality of the circumstances. Requires the court, in determining whether polarized voting has occurred, to examine elections in which at least five candidates are members of a protected class, instead of examining elections in which at least one candidate is a member of a protected class.

Removes the provision in which a plaintiff is deemed to be the prevailing party for purposes of an award of attorneys' fees and costs if the political subdivision that is the subject of the lawsuit changes its election system after the action is filed. Authorizes the court to not award fees and costs, or to reduce the amount of the award, when it determines that the award would create undue hardship and directly impact that ability of the political subdivision to provide services to low-income minority individuals.

Strikes the provision that authorized the court to tailor a remedy or direct the affected jurisdiction to draw or redraw boundaries or appoint an individual or panel to draw or redraw boundaries. Requires, instead, the creation of a bipartisan redistricting commission to redraw the district lines, with authority to redistrict reverting to the court if the commission fails to adopt a redistricting plan. Establishes that any registered voter affected by the change in the district may challenge the plan by filing a petition with the Washington Supreme Court. Directs the court to give such challenges precedence over all other matters.

Establishes an absolute defense from liability and precludes a finding of polarized voting where a protected class is already represented in the legislative body of the political subdivision in proportion to its representation within the voting age population of the political subdivision.

Establishes a voting rights act to promote equal voting opportunity in certain political subdivisions. Authorizes political subdivisions who already conduct district-based elections, as well as those with at-large election systems, to change their election system if necessary to remedy a potential violation. Prohibits election districts that are drawn or maintained in a manner that denies an equal opportunity for members of a race, color, or language group to elect candidates of their choice or influence the outcome of an election. Establishes a cause of action to redress violations.