Fair Maps Virginia releases first TV ad in support of redistricting amendment

Fair Maps Virginia’s first television advertisement begins airing today. “Crooked Lines” is part of the Vote YES on Amendment 1 campaign.

“Sometimes a straight line is all we have between right and wrong,” the ad narrator says. “In Virginia, too many politicians choose a crooked line when it comes to redistricting. They want to protect their re-election – instead of being fair.”

The ad, which will begin airing today as part of a six-figure buy in the Norfolk, Richmond and Roanoke markets, reminds voters about Virginia’s long-broken redistricting system and makes clear that Amendment 1 is the way to fix the status quo – with a bipartisan redistricting commission that ends partisan gerrymandering.

“Let’s make sure there are no more crooked lines and no more partisan gerrymandering. Vote YES on Amendment 1.”

Amendment 1 is the product of a two-year bipartisan compromise in Virginia’s General Assembly. It would create the Commonwealth’s first-ever bipartisan redistricting commission, and would be led by citizens, not politicians – another first in Virginia history.

Further, the commission will require full transparency of all meetings, add long-overdue civil rights protections for minority voting communities to the state constitution, and institute rules that would end partisan gerrymandering in Virginia once and for all.

Amendment 1 has a long list of bipartisan endorsements – from Virginia-based advocacy organizations to national anti-gerrymandering groups to every major newspaper in the Commonwealth and prominent elected officials.

Supporters include the League of Women Voters, ACLU of Virginia, AARP of Virginia, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, Campaign Legal Center, FairVote, RepresentUs, the Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Roanoke Times, Daily Progress, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Mark Warner, Congressman Don Beyer and Gov. George Allen.