GOP Advances Bill to Rig Electoral College
Bill would base electoral vote distribution on gerrymandered districts
RICHMOND, Va. – A Republican-controlled subcommittee on Tuesday advanced a bill that would rig Virginia’s electoral college system by awarding votes based on gerrymandered Congressional districts.
The bill will come before the full Privileges and Elections Committee on Friday, Jan. 27 at 9:30 a.m. in the 9th Floor Appropriations Room of the General Assembly Building. A livestream of the committee will be available online at eyesonrichmond.org, courtesy of Progress Virginia.
“Virginia is one of the most gerrymandered states in the country, and now House Republicans want to base our system of electing a president off of boundaries they drew to benefit themselves,” said House Democratic Leader David J. Toscano. “A system in which politicians have strategically chosen their voters and drawn out opponents is not democratic; it’s rigged. Voters deserve to choose their representatives, but in Virginia, it’s the other way around. We call upon the Speaker of the House to immediately send a redistricting amendment to the floor for a full vote.”
“HB 1425 is a distressing and disenfranchising piece of legislation,” said Caucus Chair Charniele Herring. “Because our Congressional districts are so gerrymandered, this bill will distort election results and dilute the power of individual voters. There should be no further action on this proposal until lawmakers are no longer drawing the lines. We look forward to a full floor vote on an amendment to create an independent redistricting commission.”
Speaker of the House William J. Howell still has not responded to Toscano’s formal request for a full floor vote on a redistricting amendment.
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