Sometimes government appears to move maddeningly slow. Right now, though, the machinery of Virginiaâs new redistricting process is whirring right along at an exceptionally brisk pace.
On Nov. 3, Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment that takes the power of drawing new district lines out of the hands of the majority party in the General Assembly â right now Democrats â and gives it to a special commission.
This commission is, by design, evenly split between legislators and non-legislators and then evenly split again between Democrats and Republicans and split yet one more time between the House of Delegates and state Senate. In December, party leaders in each chamber appointed their eight members â two from each party in each chamber.
Jan 8, 2021
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)- A panel of judges has selected eight citizens who will join eight legislators on a bipartisan commission that will redraw Virginia’s legislative boundaries for the next decade.
The eight citizens chosen by the judges at Tuesday’s meeting are Greta Harris, Richmond; Sean Kumar, Alexandria; Mackenzie Babichenko, Mechanicsville; Jose A. Feliciano, Jr., Fredericksburg; James Abrenio, Fairfax; Brandon Hutchins, Virginia Beach; Marvin Gilliam, Bristol; and Richard Harrell, South Boston.
A referendum approved by voters in November creates the 16-member commission to draw lines for Virginia’s seats in Congress and the General Assembly. The judges selected four names each from lists submitted by Democratic and Republican legislative leaders.
Sometimes government appears to move maddeningly slow. Right now, though, the machinery of Virginia’s new redistricting process is whirring right along at an exceptionally brisk pace.
Citizens chosen for Virginia bipartisan redistricting panel lmtonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lmtonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.