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Today’s newsletter is 992 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Washington's political maps may have to be redrawn again after an order handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court this week.

Why it matters: Although the legal fight centers on Latino voting power in the Yakima Valley, changes to the map could ripple across the state's legislative districts, including in King County.

• While the high court's order won't affect this fall's election, it could lead to the state's political boundaries being redrawn for the third time this decade — a process that normally takes place once every 10 years.

Driving the news: The Supreme Court on Monday tossed out two appeals court rulings stemming from challenges to Washington's legislative district map.

• The justices told the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to take another look at the cases in light of a redistricting ruling the Supreme Court issued earlier this year.

Catch up quick: The Supreme Court's April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais narrowed a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that governs racial discrimination in redistricting.

The decision matters in Washington, where a federal judge ruled in 2023 that a Yakima Valley legislative district diluted Latino voting power, violating the Voting Rights Act.

• That district court judge ordered a new map for the 2024 elections, which was upheld by the 9th Circuit last August.

A separate case had challenged the original Yakima Valley district as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

• That case had been dismissed as moot, but is now back in play.

What they're saying: State Rep. Jim Walsh, the chair of the Washington State Republican Party, called the Supreme Court's latest order "great news" in a post on X this week.

• Walsh criticized Washington's current court-ordered map as a "gerrymander" that is "racist" and "unconstitutional."

The other side: Supporters of the current map vowed to defend it.

• "We won this case twice already, and we intend to win again," Annabelle Harless, director of redistricting litigation at Campaign Legal Center, said in a statement.
• Harless said the group would continue fighting to preserve Latino voting power in the Yakima Valley, despite what she called recent Supreme Court actions "weakening the Voting Rights Act."

The bottom line: Washington's legislative maps may be less than final. Again.

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Seattle diners are having a dosa moment.

Driving the news: Mentions of the thin South Indian pancake in Google Maps reviews of Seattle restaurants jumped 136% over the past year.

• Matcha mentions rose 66%, while mentions of banana climbed 43%.

Zoom out: The trends are part of Google's first-ever fan-favorite dining lists, released today, which also highlight Seattle restaurants based on reviews, ratings and requests for directions.

Where to go: Google highlighted Shri Ananda Bhavan in South Lake Union, Chennai Express in Belltown, Sangamam in Fremont, Biryani and Curry King in Pioneer Square and Taste of Mumbai in West Seattle among top spots for dosas.

Plus: The Pink Door, Von's 1000Spirits, Pike Place Chowder, Lola and Ludi's Restaurant were the city's most-requested dining destinations on Maps from Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026.

• Aerlume, Harvest Beat, Metropolitan Grill, Il Nido and La Rustica were among reviewers' favorite spots for special occasions.

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🚁 Walmart plans to bring drone delivery to the Seattle area next year, with permits already filed for drone operations at stores in Tacoma and Federal Way. (Seattle Times)

☕ Starbucks is closing five Washington stores, including two in Seattle, and cutting eight jobs at its Seattle headquarters. (MyNorthwest)

🫎 Whidbey Island's only elk, Bruiser, has died after years as a local legend known for roaming the island and getting his antlers tangled in everything from buoys to bikes. (KOMO)

🚓 Former Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has landed a new job at a company that sells surveillance equipment, body-worn cameras and technology like drones to law enforcement agencies. (Seattle Times)

Seattle-area home prices fell in August while asking rents rose from a year earlier, new housing data show.

Why it matters: Buyers are gaining negotiating power as prices soften and more sellers cut asking prices — but mortgage rates above 7% are eating into that advantage.

By the numbers: Home prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro were down 0.8% in August compared to a year earlier, per Freddie Mac.

• More recent Redfin data show the median price of Seattle-area homes sold during the four weeks ending Sept. 27 was down 4.5% year over year.
• And 57% of Seattle-area homes sold in August went for below their asking price.
• Meanwhile, asking rents rose about 1.7%, per Zillow.

Reality check: The median sale price in both Seattle and King County was $850,000 in September, per Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

The bottom line: Buyers may have more room to bargain, but high mortgage rates — and rising rents for those staying put — mean housing isn't getting cheap.

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A bunch of Seattle strangers walked into dinner — and some of us may have left as friends.

Catch up quick: Melissa, Clarridge and dozens of Axios Seattle readers gathered in small groups Wednesday night for the city's first Axios Social Club. We then met up afterward at Triangle Spirits in Fremont.

The good news: Seattle was among the five Axios Local cities with the highest ratings from attendees.

• Many of us exchanged numbers, made plans to get together again and left feeling like we'd made new connections.
• And plenty of you told us you want Social Club dinners more often.

What's next: We'll do it again! Sign up here to hear about our next dinner. ❤️

🍽️ Melissa was happy to meet new people at last night's dinner, which also introduced her to a great restaurant she'd never visited before.

🥰 Clarridge is looking forward to the next one.

This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz, who once lived on Whidbey Island and wrote about Bruiser. RIP, big guy.