Hincker: Vote yes on Amendment 1; take back control of your vote

Virginians have a once in a generation opportunity to minimize political power of the Republican and Democratic parties to dilute and control your vote. Amendment 1 on this fall’s ballot asks voters to approve a constitutional amendment creating an independent redistricting commission.

Voters, pundits, and politicians have long lamented the baldly political and warped process of gerrymandered voting districts. You have heard it before – the political parties determine who gets your vote, not you.

Polls demonstrate wide bipartisan support among voters — almost 3 of 4 Virginians — for the independent commission created by the constitutional amendment. When first passed by the 2019 General Assembly it also garnered bipartisan support from legislators.

You’d think this year’s plebiscite, the final part of a long process for amending the constitution, would be a slam dunk. But no, now the Virginia Democratic Party opposes the amendment. Why? Political power, plain and simple. How many times have we seen this? It’s easy to call for fairness when the other guy is unfair. But now that Dems control both houses in the General Assembly, they simply don’t want to relinquish the power to determine and control your vote.

At the 11th hour, in head-shaking Orwellian double-talk Dems ask you to “Defeat Gerrymandering, Vote No on Amendment 1.” That’s the disingenuous message from Blue Virginia and Fairfax Democrats.

Do not, for one minute, think it’s not about raw power. For the past decade, Dems have complained that Republicans redistricted them out of power. For sure. For a dizzying example of gerrymander, look at the 72nd House District just west of Richmond, the result of a Republican House of Delegates redistricting in 2010. Just gazing at it a moment baffles the mind.

But now look at the 21st Senate District right here in our area comprising the City of Roanoke and parts of the New River Valley…the result of a Democratic controlled Senate in 2010. channeling Rorschach, I see an arm with a club. Symbolic, I suppose.

No party has clean hands. It does not matter whether it is the Republicans or Democrats; they want to control you. No matter who’s in charge, they all succumb to the Siren’s song of power.

It bears repeating; there is no perfect redistricting process. Even the proposed process given us by the General Assembly ensures that political parties play a huge role. Here in a nutshell are the details.

The Virginia Redistricting Commission would:

n Be made up of eight legislators (Four Democrats and four Republicans) and eight citizens with a citizen chairperson,

n Be selected by retired judges from lists provided by both parties in both chambers of the General Assembly,

n Require the votes of six legislators and six citizens to pass final electoral maps,

n Give the legislature an up-or-down vote but not the ability to amend, and

n Be fully transparent with every step of the proceedings open to the public.

Democrats, after supporting the idea for years and voting in support of the constitutional amendment in the 2019 General Assembly session and again this year, now with crocodile tears, passed a resolution in opposition during their recent June (virtual) party convention.

Some of their arguments against:

If the proposed commission fails to agree on maps, the districts shall be established by the Supreme Court of Virginia and “removes popularly elected representatives from any further involvement…” Is that a bad thing? Elected representatives from highly gerrymandered districts started this mess.

The Democratic resolution goes on to cast aspersions on the Supreme Court’s integrity because “current members of the Court were appointed by General Assemblies controlled by Republicans…” Puulese. Given a choice between trusting judicial temperament versus bare knuckle party politics, which would you choose?

And this transitory argument only holds at this point in time. With Virginia trending more to the left each year, current Democratic control of both houses in the General Assembly, and Dems in every statewide office, who doesn’t think the Virginia Supreme Court will soon be dominated by Democratic appointees? If a future “Democratic Dominated” Supreme Court plays a role in redistricting, would the Democratic party oppose?

Many civic minded leaders, under guidance from One Virginia 2021, along with legislators from both parties have finally constructed a workable solution to unfair redistricting.

Do not let last minute power politics lead you to believe otherwise. Vote Yes on Amendment 1.

Take back control of your vote.

Larry Hincker is a retired public relations executive living in Blacksburg.