Deeds Vows to Use Executive Authority as Governor to Ensure Bi-Partisan Redistricting

Press Release

Deeds Vows to Use Executive Authority as Governor to Ensure Bi-Partisan Redistricting

Senator Creigh Deeds held a press conference in Richmond today to announce his intention to create a bi-partisan redistricting commission as Governor and to use the veto and amendment process to create competitive congressional and legislative districts. Earlier in the day, Republicans on the House Subcommittee on Elections defeated Deeds' legislation to reform the partisan redistricting process despite receiving unanimous support in the Senate.

"Government ultimately belongs to the people, not elected officials," said Senator Deeds. "Yet, our broken redistricting process allows for legislators to protect their own interests by drawing districts that protect incumbents and political majorities. When I'm Governor, Virginia voters will be the ones to choose their elected officials instead of allowing legislators to choose their voters."

Deeds' legislative proposal, SB 926, would have created a commission with an equal number of members appointed by leaders in both political parties. A seventh independent member would have been chosen by a majority vote of the six appointees. The commission would have been bound by criteria for drawing legislative districts that excludes the use of previous voting results, demographic data, or the addresses of incumbents.

As Governor, Deeds promised to appoint an advisory commission, similar to the commission laid out in his redistricting reform bill. Using the veto and amendment powers granted to the Commonwealth's chief executive, he would ensure passage of a redistricting plan advanced by the advisory commission.

For the last seven years, Deeds has proposed the creation of a redistricting commission-chaired by a non-partisan member-that would remove partisanship and incumbent protection from the drawing of legislative and congressional districts. Last year's proposal, SB 38, is identical to this year's and passed 33-5. In 2007, Deeds' Senate Joint Resolution 352 was the first time a bi-partisan redistricting proposal passed a chamber of the General Assembly. SJR 352 passed the Senate with the support of seven Republicans but was defeated on an unrecorded vote in a House of Delegates subcommittee. [See: SB 38, 2008; SJR 352, 2007]

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