Virginians head to the polls Tuesday, but many may not recognize the names on their ballot. That’s because hundreds of thousands of voters are in a new district this year.
What's on My Ballot? Check Here
According to an analysis by the Virginia Public Access Project 425,000 Virginians were affected by redistricting.
General Assembly seats from Virginia Beach to Richmond were redrawn this summer through a court-ordered plan to rectify racial gerrymandering.
That’s created more competitive races, and also more split precincts.
“Some people in a precinct now will vote for one House of Delegates member and some will vote for another,” explains former commissioner of Virginia’s Department of Elections Edgardo Cortes. “The people working in the polling place will just have to be very mindful of making sure people are getting the right ballot.”
Election officials say voters can help them out by looking up their ballot ahead of time. That research can help voters ensure they get the right ballot and things run smoothly amidst all the change.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
