Virginia Democrats release redistricting map
A congressional redistricting plan developed by Democrats in the General Assembly would split Fairfax County into five congressional districts.
Currently, Fairfax County voters are represented in Congress by Don Beyer (8th District), Suhas Subramanyam (10th District), or James Walkinshaw (11th District).
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed legislation passed by the General Assembly calling for a referendum on a constitutional amendment to allow mid-decade redistricting. The amendment is expected to be put to voters on April 21.
The measure is a direct response to actions undertaken in other states by Republicans to shift the balance in their favor before the mid-term elections in November.
Related story: Spanberger authorizes referendum on redistricting
The proposed redistricting map would carve out these new districts affecting Fairfax County voters:
- The 1st District would include Bailey’s Crossroads, Franconia, Lorton, and extend toward the Tidewater and Northern Neck areas.
- The 7th District would include Annandale and Burke and stretch west to the Shenandoah Valley and south to Powhatan County west of Richmond.
- The 8th District would include Alexandria, Mount Vernon, York County in the Tidewater region, and parts in between.
- The 10th District would include Chantilly, Herndon, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Shenandoah County.
- The 11th District would include Fairfax City, Reston, McLean, Tysons, and additional rural areas.
Under the redistricting plan, heavily Blue areas in Northern Virginia would be combined with Republican and/or rural areas. The new districts would be expected to still favor Democrats, but wouldn’t be as solidly Blue as the current ones.
Whether the redistricting plan actually goes to the voters will be up to the Virginia Supreme Court after a judge in Tazewell County ruled that the General Assembly’s procedure for redistricting failed to follow its own rules. Democrats in the Virginia House and Senate appealed the Tazewell ruling.
Well I don’t like this at all and can recall when Spanberger didn’t either.
And the excuse that we’re doing it cause other states did it, Huh? Didn’t our parents ask us “if Johnny jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?”
I hope it’s rejected by the court. BUT, if it’s not rejected, at least citizens get to decide the issue without other issues cluttering up the ballot. And, if 100% of eligible voters don’t register and in turn vote, shame on them.
I’d like to see forehead tattoos on non-registered/non-voters so we’d no who to shun, blame, or thank.
Well too bad we couldn’t do that to Trump voters. Just about every disaster in this country is because of that man!
Both of the afore sentiments are sad and nonsensical for how to live or treat others (if you agree with them or not). Gerrymandering has long existed and is the root of division, strife, (dare I say evil) for and in our republic; and, the ruin of any sincere sense of compromise for governance. As the data science behind gerrymandering is so advanced that this process neuters most voters (either as insignificant or taken for granted). Gerrymandering is what has enabled the extraordinary extremes that lead to the politics that fueled and enabled both parties (and in observation several Presidents). As drawing congressional districts will always be a challenge the single best way to structurally push for unity and encourage compromise in governance today, is to mandate as many 50/50 (between the two major parties) congressional districts as possible in each State. This will be exceedingly difficult to do as long as parties and politicians are the ones picking their voters. This proposed change to Virginia’s constitution is but more poison for our republic, our state, our unity and our future. I understand the sentiment of dislike for the extreme politics of both the right and left (even when we don’t even recognize the bias one way or the other or within ourselves), but this change to the State Constitution is not the way to cure the republic – it’s only adding more poison to our politics. We all deserve better and need to do better than this change and for how we speak/treat those we disagree with.
The Johnny jumped off a bridge logic doesn’t work here. If Johnny jumped off a bridge it wouldn’t affect me. If other states redistrict unlawfully, we get stuck with fascists running the place, and that DOES affect me.
Or Bolshevik’s
If you think the Democrats are Bolsheviks, I have some bad news for you about American propaganda.
No I don’t think so. Was being polite. Dems are far worse.
We were moved from the 11th district where we had ben represented for 0ver 15 years to the 8th district represented 2 years and now we are being moved to the seventh district. We plant to vote against this UNNECESSARY change because we need to have consistent representation.