Virginia court clears path for contentious redistricting amendment vote
A Richmond Circuit Court judge has denied a request from three Virginia circuit court clerks, allowing the Legislature to continue its process on a proposed constitutional amendment related to redistricting. The clerks had argued that the General Assembly overstepped its authority by reviving a 2024 special session to pass House Joint Resolution 6007.
The amendment, primarily supported by Democratic members, was passed in the House of Delegates by a vote of 51 to 42 and received backing from the Democratic majority in the Virginia Senate, with the Senate's Privileges and Elections Committee voting 8 to 6 in favor. The clerks claimed that posting notices of the proposed amendment less than three months before Election Day would violate Virginia Code §30-13.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin had previously criticized the process, calling it 'shameful, fundamentally wrong and illegal'. However, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, stated that the ruling reaffirms the independence of Virginia's courts from presidential influence.
The judge's decision clears the way for the proposed constitutional amendment to proceed as planned, with the General Assembly set to continue its process. The clerks' concerns regarding the timing of the notice have been dismissed, and the amendment will now move forward towards a potential vote by the public.
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