Your story on the advertisement being launched by Fair Maps VA contains the quote “Amendment 1 stops this nonsense. It ends partisan gerrymandering.” But that’s just what Amendment 1 fails to do. Amendment 1 prohibits gerrymandering on racial and ethnic lines, but does not say anything about drawing districts around partisan lines. And it would override the recently passed HB 1255, which does prohibit partisan gerrymandering. Amendment 1 is weaker than HB 1255. The voters of Virginia should vote to reject the amendment and wait for something better.
Steve Wartik is a member of the Arlington Democratic Committee, which has taken a stand against Amendment 1.