Last week, the nonpartisan anti-gerrymandering coalition OneVirginia2021 applauded the Virginia Redistricting Commission on their vote to begin the map-drawing process from scratch, without regard for existing electoral maps. The vote tally was 12-4, with members of both parties supporting the motion.
“Today marked an enormous victory for Virginia voters,” said OneVirginia2021 Executive Director Liz White. “As several commissioners stated during the debate, this decision was a direct result of the tireless advocacy of engaged citizens from every corner of Virginia.”
“While it’s no secret that we haven’t agreed with every decision the commission has made, we thank them for voting today to do what is best for all Virginians. This was the most consequential vote the Commission has taken thus far, and they got it right.”
Board President Sharron Kitchen Miller added, “An overwhelming majority of Virginians voted for a redistricting process with unprecedented levels of transparency and public input, and today’s vote embodied this mandate. All of the deliberations were done in full public view, and the end result was one of fundamental fairness.
“Public engagement works. And while the Commission has a long way to go before their work is done, today proved that citizens have a direct voice in this process like never before.”
In the coming days, OneVirginia2021 said it will be continuing to focus its attention on ensuring that the public’s voice continues to be heard, just as it was this past week.
