Democrat-Controlled Virginia Assembly Passes Redistricting Amendment

The Virginia General Assembly on Jan. 16 passed an amendment to the state Constitution that would allow legislators to redraw district maps for congressional elections. The state Senate passed the amendment by a vote of 21 yeas to 18 nays, with zero abstentions. All Democrats voted in favor while all the nay votes came from Republicans, with one senator not voting. The Virginia House of Delegates had passed the amendment two days earlier by a vote of 62 to 33, with similarly partisan margins. The amendment will now be presented to Virginia’s voters in a referendum, which will likely be scheduled in April. Should a majority of voters approve the amendment, it would come into force and allow the General Assembly to enact new congressional maps valid until October 2030. That means the maps would be effective in this year’s congressional elections....