VA ballot referendum on redistricting

[Anonymous]

I've tried to do some reading on this, but I'm very confused. Can anyone explain the commission that VA voters are voting about? Will it make drawing district lines less partisan? Who chooses who is on this commission? I read about the different bills in the house and senate but couldn't find which was decided on.

Very confusing and seems like an extremely important decision. Considering the districting the Republicans tried to push through in 2011 was so egregious it was struck down in the courts, I know this is an important issue. I don't trust either party to do it fairly, so it seems a commission would be a good idea, but I know there are always hidden agendas behind these things.

[Anonymous]

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8): "If this proposal is approved, Virginia would make history in creating the commonwealth’s first redistricting commission — a plan that would finally include citizens at the table when legislative lines are drawn after the 2020 Census. What’s more, the commission would require publicly available data for all meetings and a supermajority of members for approval of district maps. Put simply, this amendment is an enormous improvement on the undemocratic system Virginia has had for centuries." [Source]

Virginia Commonwealth Caucus: "The constitutional amendment and redistricting commission would establish the clearest, fairest and least political mechanism for drawing fair districts in Virginia’s 400-year legislative history." [Source]

Del. Ken Plum (D-36): "The partisan grip of one party over the redistricting process has dictated the legislative outcome of so many issues over the decades first by Democrats and more recently in the last two decades by Republicans. This abuse of political power increased in the public mind the need for a change in the process of drawing legislative boundary lines. ... The old way of doing business also resulted in overt racial discrimination in the business of government. The new amendment addresses that concern directly: Every electoral district shall be drawn in accordance with the requirements of federal and state laws that address racial and ethnic fairness, including the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, and judicial decisions interpreting such laws. Districts shall provide, where practicable, opportunities for racial and ethnic communities to elect candidates of their choice." [Source]

Brian Cannon, executive director of OneVirginia2021: "Although this bipartisan plan does not reflect every provision we urged in our original proposal, make no mistake: This reform will end partisan gerrymandering in Virginia." [Source]

[Anonymous]

I think a bipartisan selection of state assembly leaders plus 8 members of a commission is ideal. It will stop most (all?) of the partisan gerrymandering. People of color on the commission or from the assembly would be ideal.

[Anonymous]

More comments:

“Passing this will assure election districts are drawn fairly by an unbiased non-partisan body,” 33rd District Del. Dave LaRock, R-Hamilton, said via email. “If this fails we will see districts drawn by the people whose seek to accumulate more power. Many Republicans and Democrats see the benefits of this and have supported all along. After the shift of power to a Democrat majority in the Virginia legislature, some Democrats have flipped to oppose. This proves that some like the idea of using the process to their own political advantage.”

https://www.loudountimes.com/news/virginia-ballot-to-feature-2-proposed-constitutional-amendments-including-new-redistricting-commission/article_ab74a536-f752-11ea-aa7d-b36712f29bfe.html

[Anonymous]

Not sure the Amendment adds anything except process. The Commission will still effectively be dominated by the General Assembly. If they cannot develop a comprehensive, 100% recommendation, then it goes automatically to the state Supreme Court, which is highly politically unpredictable but can be expected to be no more inclined towards Dems than the present stand-off exercises.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure the Amendment adds anything except process. The Commission will still effectively be dominated by the General Assembly. If they cannot develop a comprehensive, 100% recommendation, then it goes automatically to the state Supreme Court, which is highly politically unpredictable but can be expected to be no more inclined towards Dems than the present stand-off exercises.

Moe important for Virginia voters is to remove non-partisan elections where the voters do not get to choose election day ballots via a primary. To "vote" for Democratic school board candidates we have to pay to join the FCDC and show up at a far location. And who can join? You don't have to be able to legally register to vote. Non-citizens.

FCPS has a 3 billion dollar budget and over 52% of my local property taxes go to that budget. We have to PAY to vote on who gets on the ballot. Poll tax.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know how long the term would be for these 8 committee members? Would it just be for one redistricting cycle?