Virginia Completes Step 1 of Plan to Counter Trump Gerrymander

Virginia is one step closer to helping counter the GOP’s gerrymander after the Senate passed a proposed constitutional amendment Friday that would allow the state to redraw its congressional map.

The Senate voted 21-16 for the amendment, after the House took action this week. The measure would allow Virginia to make changes to its map until 2030 “in response to actions taken by another state.” The measure would need to pass again in the next session, which starts in January, before being approved by voters. Democrats hold majorities in both chambers of the Virginia legislature.

GOP lawmakers in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina have redrawn their maps this year under pressure from President Donald Trump, leading some Democratic-led states to take action to counter those potential gains. Unlike in those GOP-run states – where maps were approved without voter input – California and Virginia voters have the final say on whether to change their maps.

Before passing the measure, Democrats addressed criticism from Republicans who argued Virginia shouldn’t redraw maps in response to GOP-led states. 

State Sen. Mamie Locke (D) said if Republicans controlled Virginia, they would have followed an order from Trump to redistrict “quick, fast and in a hurry.” 

“And not one of you would be talking about the sanctity of the bipartisan redistricting commission, or the needs of the voters or respect for the will of the people,” Locke told Republicans. “Instead, every effort would be made to carve out as many red seats as possible.”

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D) argued the U.S. Supreme Court and Republicans in Congress were responsible for the national race to gerrymander. 

“I would prefer a federal law banning partisan gerrymandering nationwide,” Surovell said, but concluded that “absent those solutions,” Democrats can’t allow national Republican leadership to “gerrymander itself into permanent power” without taking action. 

The Virginia House of Delegates approved the measure earlier this week in a 51-42 vote. The Senate Privileges and Elections committee advanced the proposal in an 8-6 vote.

Virginia Republicans sued to block the Democratic plan. A judge declined Wednesday to block redistricting, but scheduled a follow-up hearing on a preliminary injunction Nov. 5.