Jason Stuart Redding Miyares, former Attorney General of Virginia, said on April 17 that the upcoming special election concerns a constitutional amendment which would temporarily transfer congressional redistricting authority from the independent commission to the General Assembly.
The issue is significant as it addresses how congressional districts are drawn in Virginia, potentially affecting representation for millions of residents. The proposed amendment has generated debate over its impact on voter influence and political fairness.
“Virginia is worth fighting for. The Democrat’s unfair and undemocratic power grab will silence millions of voters, split communities and neighborhoods, and divide our state further all because career politicians in Richmond wanted to give power to their friends and DC allies. It’s wrong. Everyone knows it. Now we just need everyone to vote NO before April 21st,” Miyares said according to a post on X as early voting locations remained open through Saturday for the April 21 special election. The ballot measure asks voters whether the Constitution of Virginia should be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts in response to actions taken by other states while ensuring the standard process resumes after the 2030 census. This referendum stems from legislation passed along party lines in the Democrat-controlled legislature earlier in the year as reported by the Virginia Department of Elections.
Virginia currently has 11 congressional districts drawn by the bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Commission following the 2020 census, with maps implemented since the 2022 elections. These maps were designed to ensure equal population distribution and respect for communities across the Commonwealth. The proposed amendment would permit limited modifications before the next decennial cycle under specific conditions tied to actions in other states according to VPAP.
The Virginia Redistricting Commission was established by a voter-approved constitutional amendment in 2020 with a goal of minimizing partisan influence in mapmaking and promoting stability for voters and communities. The April 21 referendum would provide temporary authority to the General Assembly for congressional maps leading up to 2031 while preserving the commission’s role thereafter according to information from Virginia Department of Elections.
Miyares served as Virginia’s 48th Attorney General, becoming both the first Hispanic American and first child of an immigrant elected statewide in Virginia. He previously worked as a prosecutor in Virginia Beach before serving as a delegate representing District 82, focusing on law enforcement issues according to NAAG.
