Spanberger's new map to eliminate 4 GOP seats—giving Dems 10 to 1 advantage—up for vote Tues

The fight for redistricting in Virginia is coming to a head as the April 21 deadline for voting approaches. Democrats have been pushing to change up the map after Democrat Governor Abigail Spanberger was elected earlier this year. 

Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to cast their vote for or against a referendum deciding if the state should change its current map. Democrats have been holding an edge of six to five seats in Congress in the current congressional districts. However, the map that has been proposed by the Virginia legislature would likely make all but one of the 11 districts in the state blue. 

If Virginians vote yes, the Democrats will likely pick up four seats in the House of Representatives. Polls have shown a close race between the yes and no votes. The push by Democrats comes after Governor Abigail Spanberger said she had “no plans” to redistrict Virginia but is pushing for it anyway. 

A recent Washington Post-Schar School poll showed that there was a slim majority of Virginians wanting to vote yes for the redistricting effort. 52 percent of likely voters said yes in the poll, while 47 percent opposed. However, with the vote being a ballot measure, results will be highly dependent on turnout. 85 percent of those registered to vote for the GOP, as well as Republican leaning independents, say they are certain that they will vote or have already voted.

For Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents, that number is 77 percent.

Many in the GOP have been critical of the map proposed by the legislature, saying that it is a prime example of gerrymandering. One proposed district is even carved out in a shape that resembles a lobster.

The proposed map makes several districts with borders cut out to get a piece of Democrat-heavy northern Virginia.

The ballot text has also been slammed by those on the right, with the subjective phrase that the redraw will “restore fairness.” Despite claiming that the redraw will “restore fairness,” the proposal would only be temporary to 2030.

Apparently, Democratic Virginia lawmakers do not think the current Virginia map is fair but are perfectly willing to let the “unfair” current map be restored four years after the redistricting.