With Overwhelming Support for Nonpartisan Redistricting, Virginians are Studying Ways to Make That Happen

This once-a-decade an independent board – not the state legislature – process may not receive the sustained public atten- should draw the boundaries of state legislative and tion generated by the economy, taxes, and health congressional districts.4 care policies, but the line-drawing exercise of deter- In all parts of the state, a strong majority of the mining districts affects the outcomes in the. [...] As the debate makers were to draw the lines themselves, the over whether Virginia should move towards less legislature has always adopted one of the agency’s partisan line-drawing heats up, we explore in this plans; only the first time did the legislature even paper the historical trends that have led to the reject two successive maps.11 creation of nonpartisan redistricting schemes in other state. [...] In addi- 2000 Census, with Republican Governor Arnold tion, the 1990s saw a great influx of immigrants Schwarzenegger being a leading voice against from both Mexico and the Midwest, further alter- the partisan gerrymandering of the state by the ing the electoral landscape of the state.16 Democratic legislative majorities in Sacramento. [...] Agents of the two major parties can crats and Republicans, yet Republicans occupy seem to solve the (and often do) come together in order to ensure more than two-thirds of the seats in House of issue of a dominant that each party maintains its power and author- Delegates.35 The GOP majority in the House at party gerrymander- ity in individual districts, maintaining a balance of the time of redistr. [...] The views expressed are those of the author and not the official position of the Cooper Center or the University.