Congressional Redistricting Plan Could Shift Fort Hunt Into 8th District

The Virginia General Assembly has proposed redistricting legislation that would shift the parts of Fort Hunt in the 11th congressional district into the 8th congressional district.

The bill, filed by delegate Bill Janis (R-56), passed through the House and was sent to the senate, where it was later amended.

Both versions of the bill would extend the 8th congressional district’s borders to include all of Fort Hunt, Mount Vernon, Mason Neck, Fort Belvoir and parts of Lorton.  The 8th   district, which is represented by Democratic incumbent Jim Moran, would still include the city of Alexandria and Arlington.

If the legislation passes, Fort Hunt residents who vote at the Stratford, Waynewood, or Fort Hunt precincts would be among those who are changing districts in the 2012 election. During the 2010 election,and the electorate at large, favored Democrat Gerry Connolly over Republican candidate Keith Fimian by a small margin.

Under the new plan, Rep. Jim Moran’s district would lean slightly more republican than it did before, according to an analysis by the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonprofit that promotes transparency in state politics.

Last election Moran took 61.01 percent of the vote, beating Republican challenger Patrick Murray to claim an 11th term in Congress.

The bill, which passed in the House by 48 votes, was endorsed by all 11 members of Virginia's congressional delegation, according to news reports.  The Senate advanced its own version on Monday, which has identical boundaries for the Route One corridor, but turns the 4th congressional district into majority-minority region. The senate’s version, filed by Senator Mamie E. Locke (D-2), is currently on the floor.

The bills will be discussed further when the General Assembly reconvenes on April 25. If the House rejects the proposed changes by the Senate, then both chambers can form a six-person committee to negotiate new boundaries. Once both chambers sign off on a map, the plan is sent to the governor for approval.

Under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Virginia must submit its redistricting plans to the U.S. Department of Justice to review to ensure minorities are treated fairly.

States must redraw house, senate and congressional districts every ten years to accommodate changes in population growth and ensure equal representation for all residents. 

Karen Goff contributed reporting.