The RTD is reporting that a panel of judges has imposed a new Virginia congressional map, redrawing the 3rd District and districts adjoining the 3rd District.
Previously a part of the 3rd District (Rep. Bobby Scott – D), Richmond will be shifted to the 4th District (Rep. Randy Forbes – R).
Richmond and Petersburg move into Forbes’ 4th District, changing its politics significantly. In the 4th’s previous configuration, President Barack Obama received 48.8 percent of the vote in 2012. The president received 60.9 percent of the vote in the new 4th District the judges imposed.
According to the graphic on richmond.com, it appears that the judges have chosen Plan #1 (below) of the two plans presented. The new map is not yet completely a done deal, as the U.S. Supreme Court will still hear an appeal by Virginia Republicans.
A federal court ruled in October 2014 that the curious boundaries of the 3rd Congressional District need to be redrawn, as the the majority-black district inequitably isolates the states’ black voters.
From the RTD article, it sounds like the new map would be in effect for the 2016 election cycle, beginning with the party primaries.
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11 comments
I’m a what now? O_O
Thanks for the good times, Rep. Scott!
Don’t assume this will survive a likely review by SCOTUS: Roberts and his cohorts on the right generally have no problem with state legislators gerrymandering districts as they see fit (particularly, as multiple cases in recent years indicate, when that gerrymandering contains minority voters and thereby aids Republican candidates).
Here’s to a more competitive district!
Right on, Tyler Brown.
@K – My understanding is that the previous district lines evolved out of a district that was created to ensure that the state would have at least one majority black district so as to ensure that black interests were represented. This was done in response to a (supreme?) court case in the 90s.
I don’t know enough about the issue off the top of my head, but basically Dilution (drawing lines to spread communities of interest into different districts) is wrong, but so is Packing. I believe there are numerous court precedents against both practices.
I would think the existing map is inequitable if it ensures that there is only one district where black voters can represent their interests when there could realistically be two or three. But if it ensures there is at least one district which is likely to represent black interests when there might well be none at all, that actually may be more equitable.
Anyhow, not sure what Richmond really has in common culturally, economically with Chesapeake, but feel free to fill me in. I kind of think they should just throw darts or…spaghetti(?)… or something at a map or (I don’t know) roll dice – sadly, that might produce better outcomes in the long run
It ain’t over ’til it’s over! But anyway, I think we’ll flip them, not them us.
Hope you’re right, Emily!
Yuck! Those Republican people breed like vermin.
It’s official, upheld by the Supreme Court http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/15pdf/14-1504_6khn.pdf
I think we have a Dem primary coming up soon, Don McEachin being the candidate. Maybe Mr. Murden can add a link to that for an exact date, thanks.
http://elections.virginia.gov/media/calendars-schedules/special.html
June 14 primary, both sides (Repub. and Dem.). Today is last day to register to vote in it.