Last week the Virginia Supreme Court released proposed redistricting maps for Congress, House of Delegates, and the State Senate. They may be viewed here.
The court will hear virtual comments from the public on December 15th and 17th. How to participate in live virtual comments here. The court will also accept written comments submitted by December 20th at 1:00 pm.
Official release:
>>>The Court will continue to receive written comments from the public, including elected officials, and to post them on the Court’s public website. Comments on maps proposed by Special Masters may be made directly on the interactive maps by clicking on the appropriate link on the Court’s website. (Here)
All other public comments, including those made by elected officials, should be submitted to [email protected] and will be posted and accessible through the “Public Comments†link on the Court’s website and must be germane to the topic of Virginia redistricting.
Written comments must be submitted by 1:00 pm on December 20, 2021. Written comments submitted after 1:00 pm on December 20, 2021, will not be reviewed by the Court or its Special Masters.<<<
An interesting and insightful analysis of the proposed districts is here, “Some of these proposed districts are a mess”. I must agree with the author. The proposed 6th district has two Congressmen, Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith and the proposed 9th district has none. The proposed 10th district is rural except for eastern Loudoun. That part of Loudoun has much more in common with the proposed 11th district. Read the entire article, you will learn a lot about the proposed districts. Then send your comments to the court.
2 comments
One US Congressman cannot exactly represent the varied interests and political desires of each and every one of his/her 784,672 constituents. It’s impossible. That’s why the primary criteria for drawing the districts should be geography that encircles approximately 784,000 citizens. Period. Forget where the incumbents live. Forget so-called communities of interest. Forget everything else. Just go with geography and let the cards fall where they may.
the plan also puts Democrats Bobbie Scott and ELaine Luria in the 3d, but one does not have to live in the district , just the state. But it still gives reason for opponents to raise the “carpetbagger” charge . Splitting Loudoun into 2 congressional districts means the county has 2 people in Congress to help it, if they do that. My guess is the Supreme Court isn’t going to finagle with the boundaries much.