A recent editorial in the Washington Post takes issue with a vote in the Virginia Legislature against redistricting reform. A subcommittee of the Virginia House of Delegates Privileges and Elections committee voted along partisan lines, with Republicans in the majority, to put a stop to bills that would change who draws congressional and state legislature district lines from the legislature to an independent commission. The editorial comments on the risks to the Republicans stemming from this action:
In the past two years, measures to create a nonpartisan commission have passed the Senate only to die in the Republican-controlled House. In trying to kill the bill again this year, House Republicans no doubt are banking on keeping control in this fall’s elections and thus retaining the power to redistrict after the 2010 census. Considering how the state has trended Democratic, they are playing a dangerous political game. More important is the fact that both parties, not to mention the voters, would benefit from a process that is fair and neutral.
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