Judge Blocks Voter Referendum For Virginia Redistricting
Virginia was a surprise entrant into the ongoing, nationwide redistricting battle. After Democrats took the governor’s seat, the attorney general’s office, and extended their majority in the Grand Assembly, it looked like it would be smooth sailing for their redistricting effort. Unfortunately, that was not the case. A circuit court judge has placed a temporary restraining order on the voter referendum needed to approve the map, which is a crucial next step in Virginia’s redistricting process.
According to AP, this is the second time Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. has ruled against the Virginia redistricting effort. Last month, Hurley ruled that the process by which the Virginia Democrats triggered the redistricting effort was illegal. While Hurley’s restraining order is temporary, it could potentially be the killing blow to the Virginia redistricting effort. The order lasts until March 18, with early voting beginning March 6.
The restraining order was requested by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the National Republican Congressional Committee, who have argued that the voter referendum’s timing and phrasing are illegal. The RNC issued a statement celebrating the ruling, calling it “a massive win in defending honest representation for every Virginian.”
Virginia Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones has already announced his intention to appeal Hurley’s ruling. Jones previously appealed Hurley’s first ruling to the Virginia Supreme Court, which ruled the voter referendum could proceed while they reviewed the appeal.
“The Supreme Court of Virginia has already made clear that this matter will go to the voters, but Republicans unhappy with that ruling went back to their friendly judge,” Virginia House Speaker Don Scott said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Virginia Democrats unveiled their proposed map, which would give them a 10-1 supermajority in the House. Virginia was always going to be the redistricting effort that posed the greatest challenge for Democrats, as it requires an amendment to the state constitution. That process requires the amendment to pass two separate votes in the Grand Assembly, one before and one after an election, before being placed before voters in a referendum.
Given that it was only six years ago when voters approved a ballot initiative that placed control of Virginia’s congressional maps with an independent redistricting committee, it’s uncertain that the redistricting effort would receive voter approval.
With all that context, it’s even more surprising that Virginia threw its hat into the nationwide redistricting battle. This all began last summer when Trump convinced Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session focused on redistricting. While that effort paid off with five new House seats in districts Trump won, it also led several blue states to implement their own redistricting efforts. California successfully passed a new map that directly neutralizes Texas’ gains, and the Virginia redistricting effort is intended to neutralize the GOP’s gains through redistricting in Missouri and North Carolina.
As Trump’s approval rating continues to plummet, it appears Republicans are losing faith that their redistricting efforts will deliver a midterm victory and are now focusing on legislation that would disenfranchise millions of voters. It’s just so great that instead of delivering meaningful solutions to the nation’s growing affordability crisis, the GOP is focused on finding new and inventive ways to steal the election.
Call me Jaden Smith, the way I hate it here.
SEE ALSO:
Federal Judge Rules Virginia Redistricting Effort Is Illegal
Virginia’s Proposed Congressional Map Gives Dems 10-1 Advantage
Judge Blocks Voter Referendum For Virginia Redistricting was originally published on newsone.com
