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Virginia Dems Propose New Legislative Districts

Mallory Noe-Payne
/
RADIOIQ

 

 

Ahead of Thursday’sspecial legislative session, state Democrats have redrawn eleven legislative districts to comply with a court order. Democrats say their proposed map is constitutional, and that they did not rely on racial demographics.

 

Earlier this summer, a federal court ruled several districts around Richmond, Hampton and Norfolk had to be redrawn. The court ruled that when Republican leadership originally drew the lines they unconstitutionally concentrated black Virginians into those districts.

 

Related Content: Special Session to Redraw Districts May Not Get Far

Democratic majority leader David Toscano recalls the last time lawmakers were forced to to redraw lines.

“There was a stalemate and the court intervened to draw the plan, and if we can’t get a bill out of the House, that’s what will happen again,” says Toscano.

Republican leadership could pass the Democrats’ map as is, they could debate it and make changes, or they could submit their own. The court has given lawmakers until October 30th.

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.

Mallory Noe-Payne is a Radio IQ reporter based in Richmond.