Redistricting proponents say public support is growing


Advocates for weakening the clout of state legislators to control how Virginia draws its legislative and congressional districts said Sunday there's greater public interests in reforms, but time is running short before the next redistricting.

Speaking at a forum before about 80 people in the Unitarian Church of Norfolk, Brian Cannon, executive director of OneVirginia2021, said there's a growing sentiment that party politics and legislators worried about their own elections have too much sway over redistricting decisions.


Cannon, who heads a coalition pushing for a constitutional amendment to weaken partisan influence, said while the next redistricting isn't until 2021, the process of changing the rules has to begin years earlier.

In this case, the General Assembly would have to approve a proposed amendment twice – first during its 2019 session and again in early 2020.


The amendment would be put before voters as a referendum in the November 2020 election.

State Sen. Jill Vogel, R-Fauquier County, who repeatedly introduced redistricting reform legislation without success for a decade, said she thinks voters are starting to pay attention.

They've seen years of uncontested elections because districts are drawn to favor one party or the incumbent, she said.

"They actually understand the issue," said Vogel, who is the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor. "You literally create districts where the election is irrelevant."

Vogel told the audience that the key is constituents lobbying their own legislators. Outsiders won't influence them, she said.

Cannon estimates that as many as 35 of the 40 state senators and just over half the 100-member House of Delegates are open to changing redistricting. But not enough Republicans, who control the House, agree, he said.

Some can be convinced with arguments but the remainder "we've got to shame them into it. That's the God's honest truth," Cannon said. While the GOP is in power , Democrats were no less protective of their district lines when they were in power, he said.

Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, who moderated the forum, acknowledged he had opposed such an amendment earlier in his career, but now favors it. Alexander served in both the state Senate and the House before being elected mayor last year.

Cannon said, "This is a bipartisan problem...And it has a non-partisan solution."

Cannon said three options for constitutional amendments should be considered.

The most dramatic is to no longer have the General Assembly draw the lines and turn it over to an independent commission. A seven-member commission would include two chosen by Democratic legislators, two by GOP legislators, the state auditor, the state's inspector general and the executive director of the Virginia State Bar. It would take five votes to approve new maps.

The second option would be a constitutional amendment that would keep the General Assembly in control but establish tighter rules. It would expand the current rules, which simply require the districts be "contiguous and compact" to add several other limitations. New legislative maps would be required to keep cities, counties and towns in the same district as much as possible; keeping intact "communities of interest" such as economic, racial or social interests. It also would prohibit drawing lines to benefit one party or an individual, such as the incumbent legislator.


The third option would be an amendment that makes it illegal to draw lines that benefit one party or an individual.

An earlier version of this report incorrectly identified the Virginia State Bar.

Bill Bartel, 757-446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com