Feb. 15, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette:
In your editorial last week, you did not mention a key distinction between what Republican- led states are doing and what Democrat-led states are doing with respect to redistricting.
Here in Virginia, the text of the proposed amendment states that drawing new districts middecade can only happen if another state has itself committed a mid-decade redraw. If that has not happened, then we keep our nonpartisan process. My understanding is that California and other Democrat-led states are the same as we are, while Texas and other Republican-led states have no such provisions.
I fully appreciate the concerns with partisan gerrymandering that you discuss in your editorial. I think the approach of the proposed amendment might in fact be the best way to avoid partisan gerrymandering overall. It would mean that nonpartisan districting would still be standard for us and that any other state who tried to engage in partisan gerrymandering would see those efforts countered by us, giving them less reason to engage in gerrymandering in the first place. DAVIDTOOMEY Lexington
