Application process finalized for citizens to apply for Virginia Redistricting Commission

Virginia’s new bipartisan Redistricting Commission is beginning to take shape.

Last week, a 5-judge panel finalized the application process for citizen members of the Redistricting Commission.

The new Commission has been lobbied for by Virginia’s Democratic legislators for years and finally got traction in the 2019 General Assembly Session. Virginia’s Constitutional Amendment process requires two successive votes by the Virginia General Assembly with a House of Delegates election in between and it must be given final approval by Virginia’s voters in a ballot referendum. The process excludes the Governor and Lt. Governor.

However, despite calling for redistricting reform for years, many of Virginia’s Democrats lobbied voters to vote against the ballot referendum, which passed 66% to 34%.

The Commission will consist of eight members of the General Assembly and eight citizens of the Commonwealth and will be responsible for drawing the congressional and state legislative districts that will be subsequently voted on, but not changed by, the General Assembly. These districts will be enacted without the Governor’s involvement and will give the responsibility of drawing districts to the Supreme Court of Virginia, rather than the Federal Supreme Court, if the redistricting commission fails to draw districts or the General Assembly fails to enact districts by certain deadlines.

Both Senator Lynwood Lewis and Delegate Rob Bloxom supported the plan.

Citizens interested in applying can do so here.

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