Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Friday proposed a “comprehensive redrawing” of Virginia’s congressional map in order to fix constitutional flaws with the 3rd District. Lawyers representing Republicans in Virginia’s U.S. House delegation offered narrowly drawn proposals meant to correct the violation while deferring to the legislature’s choices in redistricting. A federal panel is working to redraw Virginia’s U.S. House districts after twice ruling that Virginia lawmakers packed too many black voters into the 3rd District, diluting their influence in adjacent districts. The judges who will redraw the lines gave outside parties a Friday deadline to propose revised maps. At least eight outside parties proposed redistricting plans by the judges’ deadline Friday.
McAuliffe’s proposal would center the 3rd District — which now snakes from Richmond to Newport News — in the “core cities of Hampton Roads: Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Portsmouth.”
It would drop the black voting-age population in the 3rd District from 56.3 percent to 41.9 percent. Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-3rd, has supported similar proposals in the past, asserting that he can hold his seat in a district with a minority influence, but not a majority.
McAuliffe’s plan also would substantially alter the 4th District, represented by Republican J. Randy Forbes. The district currently crosses 17 counties and cities from Amelia and Chesterfield to Chesapeake.
Full Article: McAuliffe proposed ‘comprehensive redrawing’ of congressional map – Richmond Times-Dispatch: Virginia Politics.
The Voting News
A News Service of the Verified Voting Foundation
