March 9, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette:
Last week’s letter accused me of supporting a double standard because I supported the Virginia Constitution and its 2020 vote of over 65% of all voters in Virginians to create a bipartisan commission rather than politicians of either party. Virginia has served as a model for states seeking to end the partisan legislative districts by politicians.
A vote for this “temporary” bill ignores the Virginia Constitution and the 2020 vote of the people. It would have Democrat Party partisans draw the district lines to ensure a vast majority of all congressional districts (10 to 1) would be Democrat instead of the current 6-5 representation. Almost all of the Shenandoah Valley (current 6th District) would be included with Northern Virginia. Neighboring Augusta County would be divided in three different congressional districts designed to offset their votes with heavily Northern Virginia Democrat!
This “Fair Act” and biased worded ballot referendum is a partisan move to undermine our constitution and the 2020 amendment. It is a blatant effort to disenfranchise a large number of people in a “temporary” action. With complete gerrymandered “temporary” control, can they be trusted to live up to their claim it will be only “temporary”?
Their argument, “we have to do this because other states are doing it” is wrong! We are Virginia - not California, New York or even Texas, where the political gerrymandering is being played. Virginia showed we are above this gerrymandering game and took redistricting out of the hands of politicians to give our state a truly fair representation taking into account not just population numbers, but districts made up of citizens with geographic unity that reflects their area’s issues.
It is time for this political game-playing to stop!
I encourage readers to vote no on this backward-looking partisan measure to circumvent the constitution of our commonwealth, now or on Election Day, April 21. JAN LOWRY Lexington
