I OPPOSE HJ6007 Virginians deserve debate, not dictatorship. We deserve representation, not a power grab.

Please support approval of the Redistricting of VA for federal elections by allowing a constitutional amendment

Democrats are undermining the foundations of our republic. Stop this ridiculous redistricting endeavor. We know the history and see what's happening now.

HJR 5002 I am against the vote made - leaving out the constituents , delegates, and the governor from speaking today . This is not for the people . This is not the Virginia I know .

I am in favor of the recently constructed redistricting plan. Though I’d prefer all states followed a more logical plan or that we counted the popular vote instead, this plan is imperative, given the Republicans push to create more congressional seats in other states. As someone who has led a 5 year effort to increase voter registration and voting participation in my area, I am very devoted to increasing the voice of our citizens. If we don’t try this plan, which the voters ultimately will decide, we are giving into the bullying by the other party and taking away our own power.

Dear Members of the General Assembly, We at Richmond for All write to express our support for HJ6007. President Trump is encouraging Republican lead states to gerrymander their congressional districts because he knows that his policies are unpopular. He does not want to be subject to the scrutiny of voters. He has already indicated that he will not leave office as is constitutionally required at the end of his term. This is the behavior of autocrats. This amendment is the only good defense against gerrymandering since the Federal Courts have determined that political gerrymandering is outside of their purview. Congress has the power to end gerrymandering nationwide, but Republican leadership is refusing to do so. I am asking that Republicans and Democrats alike support the resolution and block President Trump's attempts to install himself as a dictator. We must prevent the degradation of democracy. The only way to do it is to go on offense against other states who are rigging the system in President Trump's favor. Sincerely, Quinton Robbins

What about the will of the people? In 2020, 65.7% of Virginia voters overwhelmingly voted to codify nonpartisan redistricting in our Constitution. The popular amendment won a majority vote in every Virginia locality but one. This bill gives “explicit authority” to the General Assembly to modify one or more congressional districts outside of the standard 10-year redistricting cycle. In addition, in order for a constitutional amendment to be adopted, it must pass the General Assembly twice with an intervening House of Delegates election before it’s brought before the voters in a referendum. This bill attempts to circumvent our Constitution and the will of the people. Not to mention the timing of this session —the week before election day, when so many have already voted in early voting —is short-sighted. This bill is unacceptable!

The people of Virginia have already decisively voted on the topic of redistricting and our vote was that it would be handled by a nonpartisan commission. By bringing up this topic in the 11th hour and pulling candidates from the campaign trail days before the election, one can’t help but determine that the intentions of this maneuver are nefarious. The people of Virginia do not want partisans jockeying for power in Richmond. We want representatives who will work together for the good of Virginians. Do not advance this attempt at distraction and last minute grab for power.

Madame Chair and all on the PE committee, I am born and raised in Richmond, but lived for 18 years in California where I was an active participant in removing gerrymanderying from California. When I moved back to Richmond in 2014, I worked with One Virginia 2021 to stop gerrymanderying in Virginia. Alothough the bill did not end where I had hoped for a full independent committee, I did vote in favor of it. It was not perfect but it has been a good step in bringing proper democratic representation to Virginia. Full stop! I am now in support of stopping the national push by Donald Trump in rigging the 2027 midterms. I support this effort to push back and have at the ready a plan to not allow Trump and the GOP to steal the midterms and continue to piliage our Constitution. I support the democratic effort to redistrict if the GOP continues to have states steal districts from the voters in democratic districts. Fight Fire with Fire!

While the Left proclaims “No Kings,” Virginia Democrats are behaving like kings and demanding the undoing of Virginia’s voter-supported, anti-gerrymandering constitutional provision. In unprecedented fashion, Virginia’s Democrat legislators have demanded a special session in the final week of early voting for the 2025 General Election to nullify Virginia’s model anti-gerrymandering constitutional provision – which was championed by 2,287,901 Virginians just five years ago. Let’s also remember Democrats drew every Virginia congressional map and every Virginia Senate map (minus 2001) up until voters passed the anti-gerrymandering provision in 2020 (which the Democrats had supported after Republicans won the House of Delegates for the very first time in the late 1990s). Following years of Democrat advocacy, a Republican-led Virginia Senate and Republican-led House of Delegates overwhelmingly passed redistricting reform in February 2019. Then, after the Democrats won majorities in both chambers in the November 2019 election, Democrat Senators Scott Surovell and John Edwards flipped back to supporting gerrymandering as did almost every Democrat Delegate. Thankfully, 7 Democrat Delegates and 19 Democrat Senators did not flip their principles, and redistricting reform passed the Democrat-led VA Senate and Democrat-led House of Delegates in March 2020. The anti-gerrymandering redistricting reform subsequently won 66.1% at the ballot box in November 2020. That vote then took redistricting out of the hands out of politicians and created a process for a Bipartisan Commission with both a Republican and Democrat map drawer (and the Virginia Supreme Court as a backstop). As a result, Virginia has gained fairer and compact districts instead of politically-manipulated and convoluted districts. Our legislators should continue to respect the wishes of Virginians to keep political gerrymandering out of Virginia’s line-drawing process and vote “NO” on HJ 6007.

Madam Chair, Member of the Committee Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Vermont have zero Republican Congressional Representatives despite the fact that each has a significant number of Republican voters. Except for Hawaii, each district is drawn by their respective state legislators. (Vermont and Delaware have only one representative). In the two states, Texas and North Carolina, that are modifying their own lines and that appear to be the reason for this bill, both use legislators to draw their lines. In each of the aforementioned states, the voters of those states have not passed an amendment to utilize a non-partisan commission. In Virginia however, our citizens, your constituents, have overwhelmingly voted in favor of using a non-partisan commission to draw congressional and legislative districts. Virginia legislators or voters may not be happy with the process in other states and we certainly do not like how many of those districts have been drawn, but that is not our fight. As Virginia legislators your job is to represent the will of Virginia citizens, not counter the actions affecting voters in other states. I urge you to rethink this effort and rely on the will of the people of Virginia as they have made their intention clear. Thank you, Michael B. Watson Gloucester, VA Former Member, VA House of Delegates

The current attacks on democracy are a power grab from right wing extremists. We are in extraordinary circumstances, and HJ6007 is the necessary tool to help Virginians fight back.

I am a previous supporter of the efforts to establish an independent districting commission, as I believe that voters choose their politicians, not the other way around. But with the unabashedly political call by the current president, and the directly stated goals of current Republicans to expand their legislative control, I am in favor of the proposed amendment. If placed on the ballot, I will whole heatedly support such attempts to allow voters to decide if they want to redistrict areas in response to other states ignoring their process to do the same. In normal situations, I would be fervently against such gerrymandering, but with the blatant attempts at entrenching one party rule within our larger legislative system, I encourage every delegate to act with the courage required to face the situation.

I enthusiastically support of the constitutional amendment as the first step in a process that would allow Virginia to redraw its congressional map in 2026. This is an appropriate and necessary push-back to steps other states have taken action to tip the congressional vote in favor of authoritarian government and away from that of majority rule. Please do proceed with this amendment.

I support the redistricting effort from the Virginia democratic caucus because we are in a time where republicans in the US Congress have happily conceded all of their power to one psychopath in the white house who is clearly unfit to lead the country. My grocery bill has continued to increase since his election, and now with the subsidies for ACA being cut, hardworking Americans like my mother will see massive increases to their premiums. This is all being done while he tore down the east wing of the white house (a structure which I proudly walked through for 3 years when I served in the US Air Force assigned to the White House Military Office) to build a fucking ballroom. Republicans at the national level are cowards, and republicans at the state level in states like Texas are the ones who began this redistricting escalation. This move is necessary by VA dems in the current time, and I hope in time we can roll it back when sanity returns to the country.

I write in support of the constitutional amendment as the first step in a process that would allow Virginia to redraw its congressional map in 2026. Trump's unlawful (and immoral) attempt to override democracy must be stopped. The redistricting effort is one way to fight Trump's utter disregard for the Constitution. Members of the party formerly known as the GOP have chosen to value power over all else, including decency, fair elections and respect for all. Those who do value decency and norms must, in this case, fight fire with fire.

Please do not amend the constitution again. We already have a nonpartisan commission to handle redistricting. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Ann Roberts

Just five years ago, Virginia’s voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment creating a bipartisan commission to carry out redistricting. I am not pleased that the state legislature is ignoring that result at the behest of liberal power brokers in Washington, D.C. it is fundamentally wrong to try to usurp the will of the people and change something that was already decided democratically and overwhelmingly. This flies in the face of the democratic “protecting democracy” mantra that is so often invoked. Further, by unnecessarily calling this special legislative session during an election, Democrats in the Virginia legislature are keeping Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears off the campaign trail, to benefit her Democratic opponent and to keep Virginia from electing its first black, woman Governor! It appears that democrats are not so democratic, after all!

Dear House of Delegates, I support HJ6007, because as a Democrat, I believe that we will never be represented fairly again in our US Congress unless we counter the increased numbers of republican seats that The State of Texas added unfairly to their Congressional Maps. We must counter the actions of Texas by increasing the amount of Virginia Democratic seats in the US Congress. Therefore I support HJ6007 because it will do just that. Sincerely, Keith Conway

We are opposed and ask that you vote against the amendment for the General Assembly to modify one or more congressional districts, outside of the standard decennial redistricting cycle,

Virginians have already voted in 2020 for a non partisan redistricting body to select the district boundaries. Please stop forcing this through and be satisfied with our current districts. We don’t need an amendment to the constitution. Thanks for your consideration.

The unprecedented session which has been called to force feed a redistricting plan into an underway election is outrageous. Virginians already votes on redistricting in 2020, with a categorically resounding voice to have nonpartisan commission in charge of political district lines. EVERY single city and county passed the constitutional amendment putting the nonpartisan commission in charge save one, which still votes 45% in favor of it; now, your naked partisan attempt - the week before statewide elections in which over one million votes have already been cast - to (potentially illegally) consolidate more power through a hostile action spits in the face of Virginians and their constitutional amendment vote. It has been made abundantly clear that Virginians desire to keep the gerrymandering power grabs out of our Commonwealth. End this sham session and the ramrodding of ideological posturing for your own political benefit. It’s unbecoming and an affront to the citizens of Virginia who have utterly rejected this brutal gamesmanship at our expense.

I write in support of HJ6007. Our Democratic Republic is at risk. Trump's election rigging is underway and must be stopped. I appreciate Virginia's decision for fair redistricting to eliminate gerrymandering. However we know that Trump is working to destroy our democracy so he can continue his lawless looting of the American people. We must fight back now. Else, we've answered Benjamin Franklin- no, we could not keep the Republic.

It is wrong to use loopholes to make changes especially when the people already voiced their opinion with their vote on this matter. You were elected to serve, not to rule. If it was so important, the same loophole the sponsors are using now could have been used months ago, before the general election. This is a purely political power play, not one to better the people of Virginia. This should be voted down and the sponsors of this measure should be voted out since the people they serve are meaningless to them. Just vote NO.

I support the passage of HJ6007. Democracy is too fluid to have absolute prohibitions. Allowing this limited modification to our Constitution can act to inhibit a larger harm. That larger harm is currently clear and present.

I Oppose any efforts to overturn the will of the voters of Virginia who amended its constitution to have a bipartisan redistricting committee draw the state’s maps. This action by democrats is one of desperation to keep control despite what the state as a whole wants, as democrat politicians continue to NOT represent the entire state, but only the small heavy concentration of politicians in DC-hugging NoVA… majority of VA outside the small densely populated counties/districts next to DC are conservatives who are thankful for our state constitution and don’t want crooked politicians to modify it.

Please support the HJ6007. It is a responsible approach to Republicans redrawing new maps in TX and elsewhere. We must get ahead of this before the mid-terms if we are to have any chance whatsoever to preserve our democracy. Thank you for your continuous and dedicated work for Virginians. Kind regards, Laura Plaia Old Town Alexandria

The United States is facing the largest threat to Democracy in our lifetimes. It is imperative that Virginia lawmakers meet to re-district our Congressional districts to counter President Trump's attempt to rig the mid term elections. Crisis times call for crisis measures. Please act to allow Virginia re-districting. Thank you. ~Linda Falkerson Reston VA

I support approving this bill from committee, to allow redistricting of Virginia Congressional district boundariess, and to have it be moved ASAP to be voted on during the Virginia General Assembly Special Session.

I Oppose any efforts to overturn the will of the voters of Virginia who amended its constitution to have a bipartisan redistricting committee draw the state’s maps.

I support this bill for fair redistricting in Virginia.

I support HJ6007 Constitutional Amendment. To save democracy we must fight back against Trump’s and the Republican Party’s gerrymandering. Virginia needs to take a stand!

I am a firm believer in democracy. I believe everyone should be represented. But the Republicans do not agree. They are gerrymandering in numerous states to give more weight to Republican views than they are entitled to in a one man one vote democracy. We must counter those efforts. That requires us to change our constitution and temporarily allow a redistricting of Virginia districts to provide for more Democratic representation in order to counter the voter suppression efforts by the Republicans in numerous states. This is a necessary step in order to protect our democracy. If we and other Democratic states do not respond to Republican gerrymanding bills, we will lose all power and this will no longer be a democracy. It is not something we would otherwise choose to do but the Republicans give us no choice if we want to save our democracy. That is what this is all about - saving democracy, opposing voter suppression efforts and trying to make the 2026. and 2028 elections fair. We have never been in such scary times, when our democracy is being dismantled right in front of our eyes. Now is not the time to sit on the sidelines and let it happen. We must respond in whatever way we can. And this bill is necessary to have Virginia do its part in protecting our democracy. There is NO CHOICE. DO IT!!!

I am in full support of the Redistricting Constitutional Amendment HJ6007. This is a necessary response to the GOP in other states redistricting congressional maps mid-cycle to give them the advantage in the mid-term elections. We cannot sit back and let their efforts to rig an election to go unchallenged. Bringing a referendum to the VA voters will give us a voice to counter these efforts to undermine our democracy.

I Oppose any efforts to overturn the will of the voters of Virginia who amended its constitution to have a bipartisan redistricting committee draw the state’s maps.

think there can be no question that the Trump administration will attempt to rig the mid-term elections. Prominent Republicans have called on Republican led states to gerrymander mid-cycle to give them an advantage in the mid-term elections. In order to save democracy, Democrats must fight back and start the process of redrawing congressional maps NOW so that changes can be in place before the mid-terms. Redistricting Amendment HJ6007 speaks to the establishment of congressional districts. It allows the General Assembly to modify one or more congressional districts outside the standard redistricting cycle. It is imperative that you support Redistricting Amendment HJ6007.

Our organization, Virginia Democracy Forward (VADF), is in full support of the redistricting amendment to provide Virginia voters with the temporary option to redraw our Congressional maps in response to the multi-state attacks that amount to stealing congressional seats in next year’s midterm election. State legislators in Texas, North Carolina and Missouri have already enacted blatantly gerrymandered maps, without a single voter’s consent. South Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, Utah and Florida have started the process or are considering similar moves. Unlike what happened in Texas, North Carolina and Missouri, this constitutional amendment will require the consent from Virginia voters in the form of a referendum. We are in full support of giving Virginia voters the option to counter the unfair gerrymanders from other states and to decide the fate of Virginia’s Congressional maps.

I support Constitutional Amendment HJ6007. As Democrats we cannot stand by and allow the Republicans to change congressional districts and do nothing. We must do everything possible to save our Democracy. HJ6007 is a good beginning.

I remember being proud of voting for the constitutional amendment to create a nonpartisan means of apportioning districts, so it surprised me to learn that HJ6007 had just been introduced and referred to committee. Simply stated, I am asking that this be defeated in committee. I am proud that Virginia is a state whose voters pick politicians, not the other way around. And while I abhor the actions of legislatures in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and others to attempt to politically gerrymander their ways to additional seats, I believe the moral high ground is lost if we do the same. Political representation is about more than one party having more seats in a chamber, and competitive seats across the state foster better outcomes for all Virginians, not just those affiliated with the party in the majority. As an active duty army officer who has had to vote absentee for almost a decade now, I am further extremely concerned about attempting to further such an amendment so close to an election. It is my understanding that the reason for amendments having to be passed in two separate legislative sessions with an election in between is to give the voters to hold their representatives accountable before the measure moves forward. Voters did decide in 2020, and thanks to the fact that my ballot was counted more than a month ago I and many others won't have the voice we want representing us on this issue in the Assembly in 2026. I don't think I've ever felt more disenfranchised than I have by this one move. Again, please vote to defeat. The people already voted for how redistricting should be done in 2020, and this attempt to put forward a measure after people like me have already voted is at best disingenuous and at worst disenfranchising.

I support this measure as a reaction to other states’ attempts to tip the scale unfairly and disenfranchise voters. I am proud of our state for standing up and fighting fire with fire even though it is not the path I would have chosen in the first place. It’s time to fight like hell for democracy. In future, I would like to see Virginia support one-person-one-vote policies and do away with all gerrymandering if other states are willing to band together and do the same.

Given the erosion of civil liberties and efforts by Republicans in certain state legislatures to further erode our rights, I support efforts to redistrict in Virginia. These times require action.

Republican-controlled state legislatures in Texas, North Carolina, and elsewhere have initiated a gerrymandering project to secure more safe GOP seats in the upcoming House midterms. The weakening of the Voting Rights Act to the point of insignificance by the Supreme Court and the capture of the Justice Department by the White House and its political agenda together pave the way for the Trump Administration to achieve its desired goals. These GOP efforts are blatant displays of raw power politics that will disenfranchise millions of voters and threaten the continuation of representative government. Democrats didn’t start the battle, but lying down in the face of such a perfidious and unjust onslaught is no answer. To paraphrase the old saying, “you don’t bring appeals to principle to a gun fight.” Accordingly, I heartily support this Bill to restore the national electoral balance.

I think this bill is an attack on our democratic institutions, and goes against the will of the people as expressed in our last constitutional amendment that created the independent redistricting committee. In the last house election Virginia was a D+4 state, whereas Texas is a R+18 state. Creating a 9-2 or 8-3 congressional map for Virginia is not fair to the nearly 50% of Republicans who live in Virginia, and proportional at all. Gerrymandering in any form is bad. The election period began over 3 weeks ago, and I hope this amendment will be struck down in court as unconstitutional if it passes at all. Just convince voters, don't change the rules. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

I am a resident of Vienna, VA and would like convey my strong support of a constitutional amendment to redraw Virginia’s congressional districts. This move is critical in offsetting the actions taken by Texas, North Carolina and Missouri. I’m a proud Virginian that our elected officials have joined the fight to protect our Democracy prior to the mid term elections in 2026.

I wholeheartedly support Delegate Willett’s proposal. The GOP has unleashed a restricting frenzy across this country and it is crucial that Virginia react to counteract this power grab. No one wants to be here but we must create new Democratic districts to ensure that the GOP does not unfairly influence the 2026 midterms.

It is disappointing and disturbing that we have come to this because of states like TX and NC but I am in favor of redistricting maps to be redrawn in Virginia. I am proud of the elected officials that are taking the steps to make this happen in Virginia. We can not sit idly by as Republicans in other states redraw maps. We have no choice.

I support this Constitutional Amendent (HJ6007). We must elect Democrats by any means possible. The Trump-led drive to change the electoral map by increasing the number of Republician districts cannot go unchallenged.

I’m writing as a concerned Virginia resident to urge you to support the new redistricting amendment which was proposed in the special session today. This amendment is necessary to protect Virginians from partisan gerrymandering. This is the first step - and only chance - to give Virginia the ability to move forward with the redistricting process to fight back against partisan attacks on fair representation in the Commonwealth. I fear that the midterms in 2026 will be very vulnerable to unfair authoritarian rigging. Lets move this amendment forward and give it a fair chance in this critical moment for American democracy. Thank you.

I am asking you to support and allow the Redistricting of VA congressional map.. Even though we are VA and not other states we need to support doing this.,we are part of the US. President Trump has ask Republican states to do Redistricting to give a very unfair advantage to him and Congress. Since he has encouraged Redistricting, although not for VA. It may take the unfair advantage other states that have done what the President has asked. PLEASE let the process go toward so the people of VA can vote on it. Tank You.

I’m in favor of Virginia redistricting because it aims to create fairer electoral maps, potentially reducing gerrymandering and ensuring that representation reflects the actual demographics and political preferences of Virginia's population. This process can strengthen democracy and make elections more competitive and representative. Thank you for the opportunity to take part in the work of the Privileges and Elections Committee.

I am writing to urge you to support the effort to redistrict Virginia in 2026. I believe in neutral district organizing but that is not what is happening now in this country, so in order to counterbalance the gerrymandering changes happening in other states, I believe we need to do the same. I urge you to support this redistricting effort in Virginia. Thank you. Sincerely, Harriet Hirsch 711 Massey Lane, Unit A Alexandria, VA. 22314

Please fully support the redistricting amendment. Democrats and Republicans need to come together for this legislation, which will protect Virginians against a national attempt to undermine the 2026 elections and our Democracy.