After a failed vote to contract the University of Richmond, and advice from counsel that they had exhausted a search for a neutral option, the commission will work to finalize plans for two map drawers next week.
After the vote, Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Richmond, said the commission had made a “grave mistake.”
“I just don’t see how we will successfully accomplish the task before us, having two different map drawers – one representing Democrats, one representing Republicans. I don’t see how we’re going to make it one,” McQuinn said.
The redistricting commission on Tuesday also debated a set of guidelines it would use to draw its maps. Notably, the commission agreed that it “may” consider the addresses of General Assembly incumbents while drawing district boundary lines.
Sen. George Barker, D-Fairfax, proposed the language, which passed in a 9-6 vote. The three other Democratic legislators joined three citizen members to oppose the language.
Taking into account where incumbents live has long been a point of criticism from redistricting reform advocates, who say it can lead to “lawmakers picking their constituents,” instead of the other way around.
The commission also agreed to minimize splitting localities across different districts. McDougle, who said he represents 10 different localities in his Senate district, proposed the language. It passed in a 12-4 vote; it was opposed by the four Democratic legislators on the committee.
