In the decade from 2011 to 2021, I was an ardent supporter of OneVirginia2021, not only with money but with time and energy. This bipartisan organization brought redistricting reform to Virginia, and I was proud to have been a part of this effort. It was only through broad and consistent dissatisfaction with gerrymandering that our commonwealth’s constitution was amended to establish a bipartisan commission to redraw Virginia’s voting districts.
Both Democratic and Republican legislators had been guilty of drawing district lines that favored their party; certainly, neither were blameless in this type of endeavor where politicians pick their voters rather than the other way around. Just as redistricting reform was about to cross the finish line, Democrats were again in control of the General Assembly and suddenly expressed doubts, hiding their desire to draw the lines themselves by fictitious concerns over the amendment’s structure. Fortunately, the support for reform among the voters was so strong that the amendment made it on the 2020 ballot and passed overwhelmingly.
That was not the end of redistricting troubles, as the bipartisan commission established by the amendment was unable to reach agreement in redrawing the districts, and so the Virginia Supreme Court was called upon to appoint two special masters to decide how the districts would be drawn. The result, while not perfect, was a decided improvement over the old system of legislators picking their voters.
Prominent Republicans have been very vocal in calling out the recent attempt to allow Virginia to gerrymander its legislative districts in order to give Democrats an advantage in the upcoming election. I read with interest the May 14th article in the Henry County Enterprise written by Republican Delegate Wren Williams entitled “The Court Stops a National Gerrymander Dressed Up as Virginia Reform.” The article was a factual account of redistricting’s history in Virginia and the state’s recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down the amendment to redraw our districts along partisan lines.
Please note that the article was factual but not honest, accurate but hypocritical. Most Republicans, including President Trump, have been gleeful about this decision by the Virginia Supreme Court which may have significant implications in this November’s election. It was President Trump himself who started this attempt to give partisan advantage in the upcoming election by asking Texas to redraw its lines to favor Republicans. I did not note any outcry from our state’s Republican leaders when that occurred, and any mention of that fact has been left out of current statements by Republicans about redistricting in Virginia.
There is an old saying, “sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander.” While Republicans are calling out Virginia Democrats for their recent attempt at gerrymandering, perhaps they should also be expressing, publicly, their disapproval of the President’s actions.
M. Martha Woody,
Martinsville
