March 27, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: Just six years ago in 2020 citizens of Virginia voted in favor of a Virginia constitutional amendment to make redistricting nonpartisan.
Virginians voted overwhelmingly in favor adopting the nonpartisan 2020 amendment 66% to 34%. Virginia voters approved the ballot by well over a million votes, 1,325,210 votes to be exact.
Locally voters also approved the 2020 nonpartisan 2020 redistricting amendment by large percentages.
Buena Vista citizens voted 74% in favor adopting the nonpartisan 2020 amendment to 25%.
Lexington citizens voted 70% in favor adopting the non-partisan 2020 amendment to 30%.
Rockbridge County citizens voted 59% in favor adopting the nonpartisan 2020 amendment to 41%.
The ballot wording of the proposed redistricting Amendment is purposely misleading and confusing. “Restore fairness.” Is the recently elected General Assembly and governor’s partisan gerrymandering giving their own political party a 10 to 1 congressional advantage restoring fairness? No, it is not fairness.
The new partisan redistricting would split our current 6th District into five new districts. Three areas of our 6th District will become part of new districts that stretch into Fairfax County just outside Washington, D.C. Is robbing rural Virginians of equal representation fairness? No, it is not fairness.
What does “temporarily adopt” mean? In the 250-year history of the United States of America we as nation or as a state have never temporarily adopted a constitutional amendment.
Remember this is the same newly elected General Assembly and governor that ran on affordability but passed several new taxes while giving themselves a nearly 300% pay raise. They cannot be trusted to “temporarily adopt new congressional districts.”
Early voting is now available. Please vote no early or vote no at the polls April 21. DENNIS HAWES Buena Vista
