More Attempts to Overhaul Legislative Redistricting Die in Virginia House Panel

As expected, attempts to take politics out of the legislative redistricting process continue to fall by the wayside in the General Assembly.

Three Senate-passed measures to change the system were rejected Tuesday by a Republican-controlled subcommittee of the House of Delegates’ Privileges and Elections Committee, the same seven-member panel that killed a group of similar House bills earlier this month.

SB31

From Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, would have established an interim advisory commission to remedy a district declared illegal by the courts.

SB59

From Sens. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax County, and Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier County, would have established criteria for the Assembly to observe in drawing districts, including respect for political boundaries, equal population, racial and ethnic fairness, contiguity, compactness and communities of interest. Use of political data or election results would have been prohibited in most cases.

SB191

From Sen. John Miller, D-Newport News, would have called an advisory referendum on the establishment of an independent commission to draw district lines.

This story originally appeared on PilotOnline.com

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