Although the drawing of legislative district lines is supposed to take place each decade after the federal census, the controversy over where and how lines are drawn keeps the issue alive every year. Most recently a federal court declared the current Congressional district lines in Virginia invalid because the way the lines are drawn discriminates against minorities being able to get elected. Essentially the black population is packed into one district. The 2015 session of the General Assembly will have to redraw the lines. Just last week about a dozen black citizens brought suit against the current House of Delegates districts contending that they are drawn in a way that discriminates against minorities.

The purpose of the redistricting process is to ensure that persons are equally represented in the legislature. As population shifts with some areas growing and others declining, district lines are redrawn based on the federal census. A numeric equality of the numbers of persons in a district is achieved and has been enforced by the federal courts to be within a couple of percentage points. But going back to the earliest years of our republic there has been recognition that the way in which lines are drawn can determine the likely outcome of an election in a district. In 1812 Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts signed a redistricting bill so favorable to his political party that the newspapers pointed out that one of the districts looked like a salamander, hence the term "gerrymandering."

There is no doubt that both parties have taken part in gerrymandering districts to their political advantage. The party in power attempts to continue its dominance by drawing lines that are likely to elect more of their party members to the legislature. The result in Virginia and in other states is to reduce the number of contested elections. Candidates are less likely to run in a district where the numbers are stacked against them. Elected officials who represent these "safe" seats may be less responsive to constituents' concerns and adhere to stronger political party dictates. The real electoral contests in these districts tend to be in the primaries selecting candidates. Some of the districts heavily stacked with Republicans in Virginia are seeing increased challenges from Tea Party activists in primaries. Even the Speaker of the House has a Tea Party challenger in a primary this year.

Volunteer for MLK Day of Service

Join Reston Association at Southgate Community Center and the Closet, Inc. on Saturday, January 17 for a full "Day of Service" to engage youth and adults in honoring the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. and focus on ways to build local community. 

Details are at MLK Day of Service 

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2015 Call for Makers is Now OPEN!  

Deadline January 23rd  

Do you have an amazing project you built and would like to share with others? Want to exhibit at the largest Maker Faire in Northern Virginia? Submit your proposal now and beat the January 23rd deadline. Details are at NoVa Mini Maker Faire.

Tomorrow: Thursday, January 8, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., Town Hall Meeting with Delegate Ken Plum and Senator Janet Howell, Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Come hear about issues facing the upcoming General Assembly and share your thoughts. Call 703-758-9733 with questions.