VA House, Senate Dems Write to VA Supreme Court, Urge Changes to Proposed Redistricting Maps

See below for letters from the Virginia Senate Democrats and Virginia House Democrats to the Virginia Supreme Court, suggesting changes to proposed redistricting maps.

• From the Virginia Senate Dems’ letter: “In summary, in recognition of the Special Masters’ reasonable approach in many areas, we are not proposing any wholesale overhaul of their draft Senate map. Instead, the Senate Democratic Caucus respectfully submits that certain districts in seven specific regions should be modified to better reflect important communities of interest and other significant considerations regarding the makeup of the Virginia Senate. Of particular note, the Special Masters’ draft Senate map pairs the two longest-serving African American members of the General Assembly, including the current Senate President Pro Tempore, in a single district. While we understand that the Special Masters chose generally not to consider incumbent addresses or pairings, a map that effectively expels at least one of these historic African American figures and civil rights icons from the Virginia Senate will not help move the Commonwealth forward. “
• From the Virginia House Dems’ letter: “We urge the Court to adopt a House of Delegates map that reflects as many of the regional highlights as possible contained in our first map (Map 1). Map 1 reflects a balanced and fair approach. It was developed before the Court released the Special Masters’ map and represents our model plan drafted in accordance with all applicable federal and state constitutional and statutory requirements. It properly reflects the population and demographic changes resulting from the 2020 federal decennial census and does so in a way that is least disruptive, by following the generally accepted redistricting principle that recognizes as a legitimate criteria not making unnecessary changes to current districts where it is possible.”