Why Redistricting Is Back in the News — and What the League Stands For
Under a strict reading of the U.S. Constitution, congressional districts are meant to be redrawn only once every ten years, after the decennial Census, with the new districts taking effect in the next federal election (for example, the 2020 Census produced maps used beginning in the 2022 elections, which should remain in place until new maps take effect in 2032).
In practice, however, many states now redraw their maps in between Census years because of court rulings or political disputes. This process — called redistricting — affects which elections you vote in, who represents you, and how fairly communities are heard. This year, redistricting is again in the headlines across the country, and the League of Women Voters is deeply involved.
1. What’s Happening Across the U.S.
Many states have been ordered to revise their congressional or legislative maps after courts found problems with the way they were drawn. Two common problems are:
- Racial gerrymandering — when maps sort voters by race in ways that weaken their ability to elect candidates of their choice.
- Partisan gerrymandering — when maps unfairly favor one political party over another.
Recent court decisions in states like Texas show that federal judges are still requiring states to redraw maps when they violate the U.S. Constitution or the Voting Rights Act. These rulings can shift political power and change who appears on voters’ ballots, sometimes in the middle of a decade.
For everyday voters, this means district lines may change more than once between censuses, making it important to stay informed.
2. What the National League (LWVUS) Stands For
The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) works for fair, transparent, and nonpartisan redistricting. The national League:
- Supports independent or neutral map-drawing bodies, rather than allowing politicians to draw their own districts.
- Opposes both racial and partisan gerrymandering.
- Participates in court cases when voters’ rights are at stake, including recent cases involving racially discriminatory congressional districts.
- Wants maps that reflect real communities and do not split or weaken them for political gain.
The national League’s goal is simple: voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around.
3. What the League of Women Voters of Virginia (LWV-VA) Stands For
The League of Women Voters of Virginia (LWV-VA) has a long history of advocating for fair maps. LWV-VA:
- Opposes partisan and racial gerrymandering.
- Supports open, transparent, and public map-drawing processes.
- Wants district lines that respect communities and do not dilute anyone’s vote.
Because LWV-VA must remain consistent with national League policy, it follows LWVUS’s position that congressional and legislative maps should not be redrawn more often than once every ten years. LWVUS has clearly opposed mid-cycle redistricting as a form of political gamesmanship that undermines public trust. Source: LWVUS Mid-Cycle Redistricting Statement.
After the 2020 Census, Virginia used a bipartisan Redistricting Commission. When the commission could not agree on final maps, the Supreme Court of Virginia appointed independent experts (Special Masters) to complete the maps. LWV-VA continues to monitor both statewide and local redistricting, because counties, cities, and school boards also redraw election districts.
For voters in the Williamsburg-area region (James City County, York County, and the City of Williamsburg), this means staying informed about any future changes to congressional, state, or local district lines — and knowing where to look for updates.
4. Brief Summary of Virginia Mercury Article (Virginia Context)
What follows is a brief summary of a recent news article that gives helpful Virginia-specific context: “Virginia Senate approves mid-decade redistricting amendment in party-line vote,” published October 31, 2025, by Virginia Mercury.
In late October 2025, the Virginia General Assembly approved — along party-line votes — a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow Virginia lawmakers to redraw the state’s U.S. congressional districts mid-decade, instead of only once every ten years after the Census.
Supporters say the change is needed so Virginia can respond if other states redraw their maps mid-decade in ways that hurt Virginia’s representation in Congress. They describe the amendment as a “safeguard” in a national environment where some states are aggressively reworking their maps.
Opponents argue that the proposal undercuts the independent redistricting commission that Virginia voters approved in 2020. They see it as a step backward that returns too much power to partisan legislators.
For this proposal to take effect, the amendment must be passed again by the General Assembly in the next session and then be approved by voters statewide in a referendum. Until then, it is a proposal under debate, not yet a change in the Virginia Constitution.
5. Why This Matters
Fair maps protect the value of every person’s vote. When maps are drawn unfairly, communities can be split apart, voters can be marginalized, and election outcomes can be distorted. The League — nationally, statewide, and locally — is committed to making sure redistricting serves voters, not political interests.
Here in Virginia, and in our own Williamsburg-area communities, the key questions are:
- Are maps drawn in a fair and transparent way?
- Do they give all voters, including historically under-represented communities, a real chance to elect candidates of their choice?
- Are changes to the system strengthening voter power, or weakening it?
The League’s role is to watch closely, educate voters, and speak up for fair processes and fair maps.
6. References (for readers who want more detail)
For those who want more background, here are a few public, non-technical sources: