Redistricting | FloydVADems

Redistricting 2021

Article One of the U.S. Constitution establishes the House of Representatives and apportions Representatives to the states based on population, with reapportionment to occur every ten years. The decennial U.S. Census determines the population of each state. After the 2020 census, Virginia has no change in Congressional representation, maintaining 11 seats in the House. The Virginia Constitution Article II. Section 6 outlines redistricting, that was amended by voters November 3, 2020 despite recommendations against adoption of the redistricting commission by Democratic leadership.

Tuesday, December 28, 2021 the Supreme Court of Virginia signed off on new legislative maps.

Overview
US Congress
VA Senate
VA House

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OVERVIEW

AP News: "In an order, the court said it had reviewed final redistricting maps — which were put together by two court appointees called special masters — as well as extensive public comment on earlier draft maps.

The once-a-decade redrawing of political maps had fallen to the court after a newly created bipartisan redistricting commission failed to agree on maps for either Congress or the General Assembly."

Effective Dates

WTOP: "The order says the districts will be effective with the 2022 election for the U.S. House of Representatives. The General Assembly seats would be effective with primary and general elections for the 2023 election.

A lawsuit seeking to force a 2022 special election for General Assembly seats using the new districts is being considered in state courts. However, a ruling has not been issued."

Supreme Court of Virginia, redistricting final order:

(1) The Final Redistricting Maps and Final Memorandum prepared by the Special Masters and posted on the Supreme Court's public website at Supreme Court of Virginia Final Order and Approved Maps are incorporated herein by reference and are approved and adopted and, effective immediately, the Final Redistricting Maps shall constitute and establish the voting districts for the Virginia House of Delegates, the Senate of Virginia, and for Virginia's representatives to the United States House of Representatives;

(2) The State Board of Elections and the Virginia Department of Elections shall immediately implement the voting districts established by the Final Redistricting Maps to ensure that the 2022 Congressional elections, and any future regular primary or general elections that may be held for the Virginia Senate, Virginia House of Delegates, and Congress will proceed as scheduled. Any further use of current voting districts as set forth in Virginia Code§§ 24.2-304.03 (House of Delegates districts), 24.2-303.3 (Senate districts), and 24.2-302.2 (Congressional districts) for any regular primary or general election is prohibited. For any special elections that may be scheduled before the next regular primary or general election for the Virginia Senate, Virginia House of Delegates or United States House of Representatives, the State Board of Elections, and the Virginia Department of Elections will need to determine whether, under the particular circumstances presented, the Final Redistricting Maps should be used.

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Cardinal News: So did this new redistricting process work or not? A first look at the winners and losers in the new redistricting maps. "These maps appear to inconvenience both parties, just in different places and different ways."

"[the court]fiddled with a few lines, putting Craig County back into the 9th – “increasing the number of Virginia’s Appalachian counties placed in the 9th,” the special masters wrote – in return for moving some Roanoke County precincts into the 6th. But it left Salem, and Griffith, in the same district as Cline. Mathematically, this was almost inevitable. The special masters said they wanted to avoid crossing the Blue Ridge."

"The law doesn’t require [US] House members to live in their district, merely in their state. When Griffith first ran for Congress in 2010, Salem wasn’t in the 9th District. Voters sure didn’t seem to care then. Griffith could easily stay right where he is and keep on running in the 9th. "

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Herald Courier: Southwest Virginia to lose a delegate seat via redistricting. "... Southwest Virginia will lose another House of Delegates seat due to declining population, with Del. Will Wampler, R-Abingdon, former 4th District being redistributed."

"Another major change will be the district numbering systems in both the [Virginia] House and Senate. Rather than House districts 1, 3, and the like, Southwest Virginia is now in the middle of the 100-district numbering system, which begins in Northern Virginia, moves down the state and then goes eastward winding up at the coast."

Virginia Constitution, Article IV. Section 4. Section 4. Qualifications of senators and delegates: General Assembly members must be a resident of their district.

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US CONGRESS

Cardinal News: Supreme Court approves redistricting map that pairs Cline and Griffith. "The court reshaped some districts in eastern Virginia but left largely untouched the maps that put Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith in the same district."

"The most significant changes to the congressional maps appear to be in the Richmond area and Northern Virginia."

Herald Courier: Morgan Griffith to run for reelection.

VPAP.org:

No current representatives reside within the boundaries of the redrawn district, including the current representative, Morgan Griffith (R-9).
The partisanship of the 9th U.S. House district would become slightly less conservative.
The district will remain >+20R.

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VA SENATE

VPAP.org: NEW SD7 (current SD19)

The current senator, Dave Suetterlein (R-19), does not reside within the boundaries of the redrawn district.
The partisanship of the Senate district would become slightly more conservative.
The district will remain >+20R.
2016 Presidential Results: Donald Trump 68.50%, Hillary Clinton 27.80%

VPAP.org: Population distribution, which localities do people in this district live in? A table showing the share of the district's population by locality.

Locality Total Population             % of District
Franklin County 54,477 25.1%
Henry County    50,948 23.5%
Carroll County   29,155 13.4%
Patrick County   17,608 8.1%
Floyd County     15,476 7.1%
Grayson County 15,333 7.1%
Wythe County   13,776 6.4%
Martinsville City             13,485 6.2%
Galax City          6,720    3.1%

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VA HOUSE

VPAP.org: NEW HD47 (current HD7)

Delegate-Elect Marie March (R-HD7) is one of 2 current delegates that reside within the boundaries of the redrawn district.
The partisanship of the House district would become more conservative.
The district will remain >+20R.
2016 Presidential Results: Donald Trump 73.20%, Hillary Clinton 23.10%

Blue Virginia: Many new Virginia General Assembly districts have incumbents doubled or tripled up, and in Floyd County the new HD47 has Delegates-elect Wren Williams (R) and Marie March (R) paired up. Of the voting age population, 23,947 come from Williams’ district, while just 12,402 come from March’s district (plus 23,710 from Del. Ronnie Campbell’s current district).

VPAP.org: Population distribution, which localities do people in this district live in? A table showing the share of the district's population by locality.

Locality Total Population             % of District
Carroll County   29,155 34.5%
Patrick County   17,608 20.9%
Henry County    15,500 18.4%
Floyd County     15,476 18.3%
Galax City          6,720    8.0%

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