Common Cause, the nation’s premiere redistricting leader, sent a letter to Virginia legislators, urging them to comply with the organization’s fairness criteria as they advance mid-decade redistricting. In the letter, the organization signals their intended opposition if the state fails to meet its fairness criteria. The Virginia state legislature is scheduled to vote on mid-decade proposals Friday, Jan. 16.

“We know Virginians did not start this mid-decade redistricting fight, and Virginians have a front row seat to President Trump’s daily power grabs,” said Dan Vicuña, Common Cause Senior Director of Voting and Fair Representation. “But representation for communities of color must remain protected, especially as President Trump continues his campaign to take away voters’ right to choose their leaders in Congress. Common Cause is watching, and if the process isn’t fair, our members will oppose the unfair maps and ensure every Virginian understands what’s at stake in a major election year.”   

Common Cause has always opposed partisan gerrymandering committed by Democrats and Republicans. In response to unprecedented mid-decade redraws in September, the organization was the first to create six fairness criteria to protect fair representation in the process. The criteria were developed to prevent partisan reactions—Democratic and Republican alike—from entrenching long-term inequities in representation. To date, Common Cause has evaluated mid-decade redistricting in four states: California, Indiana, Missouri, and Texas. States must meet all six criteria to avoid Common Cause’s opposition. 

Common Cause’s Six Fairness Criteria:  

• Proportionality: Any mid-decade redistricting should be a targeted response proportional to the threat posed by mid-decade gerrymanders in other states. 

• Public participation: Any redistricting must include meaningful public participation, whether through ballot initiatives or open public processes.  

• Racial equity: Redistricting must not further racial discrimination or dilute the political voice of Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American, and Pacific Islander, or other communities of color.  

• Federal reform: A public endorsement of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, including provisions banning mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering.  

• Endorsement of independent redistricting: Leaders pursuing mid-decade redistricting must publicly endorse fair, neutral redistricting processes, such as, citizen-led independent redistricting commissions. 

• Time-limited: Any new redistricting maps must expire following the 2030 Census.  

To read more about Common Cause’s fairness criteria, haga clic aquí.