RICHMOND, Va. — A proposed constitutional amendment — which aims to give the General Assembly more authority for the redrawing of congressional maps — has been filed by four Democratic lawmakers in the House of Delegates on Tuesday.
Virginia Democrats' reported redistricting effort comes after a handful of GOP-led states – including Texas, Missouri and North Carolina — revised their U.S. House districts to be more favorable towards Republicans during next year’s midterms. Democratic state lawmakers are starting to launch counter efforts, first in California and now in Virginia.
The proposed amendment for HJ6007, if passed, would allow the General Assembly to begin the redistricting process outside the standard 10-year cycle in response to other states doing the same.
"The amendment provides explicit authority for the General Assembly to modify one or more congressional districts, outside of the standard decennial redistricting cycle, in the event that any other state conducts a redistricting of the state's congressional districts outside of the standard decennial redistricting cycle or for any purpose other than complying with a state or federal court order to remedy an unlawful or unconstitutional district map," the amendment's summary reads.
News of the redistricting push surfaced last week when Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, called a special session for Monday.
Before lawmakers reconvened, a handful of Virginia Republicans spoke to media condemning any redistricting plans that may be in the works, calling it "unconstitutional" to do so after the start of early voting.
"To target districts like ours, like mine, that we flipped two cycles ago, that we kept, not by wide margins - it’s a competitive district and always will be - but we know that," said Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, which includes Virginia Beach, the Eastern Shore, Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight County and parts of Chesapeake and Southampton County. "And the independent commission that my colleagues have spoken about that we passed in 2020, that’s the fair way to do it. That’s the Virginia way.”
A redistricting proposal would need to pass in the House and Senate, but governor approval isn’t needed. If it passes in both chambers, Virginians would then vote on the redrawn maps.
Right now, Democrats hold narrow majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, with 21-19 and 51-48 margins in the state senate and House of Delegates, respectively. One Delegate seat is currently vacant in the 33rd District. However, that could change as voters head to the polls: All 100 House of Delegate seats are up for election this year, as is the case every two years. State senate races won't be on the ballot until 2027, barring special elections.
