(The Center Square) – One day before Virginia voters decide a redistricting amendment, Republican leaders gathered in Richmond to urge a “no” vote in a final push ahead of the decision on a constitutional amendment with potential to shift U.S. House of Representatives representation from 6-5 Democrats to 10-5.
At Shorty’s Diner on West Broad Street, former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, former Attorney General Jason Miyares, U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman and U.S. Rep. John McGuire urged voters to reject the amendment. If approved, the Legislature could redraw congressional districts for this year’s election and the regular every 10 years process would resume after the 2030 census.
“We’re doing the work to make sure everybody understands the right vote is a no vote,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin described the proposal as “unconstitutional, illegal and immoral,” and said voters had been misled about its purpose.
“They were made promises, and they have not been kept,” he said. “Virginians don’t like to be lied to.”
He also pointed to spending behind the effort, saying supporters of the amendment have spent more than $70 million backing the proposal.
Campaign finance reports show a wide gap in spending between groups on both sides. Virginians for Fair Elections, which supports the amendment, reported raising more than $64 million during the filing period, while Virginians for Fair Maps, which opposes the proposal, reported raising more than $19.8 million, with additional opposition groups reporting smaller totals.
Miyares questioned how clearly it has been presented to voters.
“This is what you get when you’ve got people in politics that are drunk with power,” Miyares said.
Democrats last fall seized a trifecta in state government – meaning majorities in the Senate and House of Delegates in addition to first-year Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
The ballot language asks voters: “Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia’s standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?”
The language has drawn attention from both supporters and critics over how the amendment is described to voters. In particular, the word “fairness” is fiercely criticized.
If new maps ready to be implemented in fact give Democrats a 10-1 edge in the U.S. House, it would be far from the last presidential vote of 51%-46%.
Any redraw of maps could carry administrative and legal costs for the commonwealth, which would ultimately be borne by taxpayers.
One attendee at the rally said the ballot language has caused confusion among voters, adding that some people “think they’re supposed to vote yes” despite opposing the measure.
Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, urged voters to support the amendment in a recent post on social media. She criticized Republican members of Congress for supporting former President Donald Trump over their constituents.
