Gov. Northam asks GOP leader to ask Court to redistrict since General Assembly at impasse

Governor Ralph Northam sent a letter to Del Kirk Cox, Speaker of the Virginia House House of Delegates on Sept. 7, urging him to request that the Court begin to redraw the 11 unconstitutional House of Delegates districts so that Virginians will have constitutional lines enacted in time for June 2019 primaries, according to a news release from the Governor’s Office.

In the letter, Northam reportedly raised concerns related to the General Assembly’s ability to enact a remedy map by the current October 30 deadline and shares his belief the legislative process has reached an impasse.

“It is imperative that constitutional district lines be in place in time for the 2019 election cycle to avoid letting another election (the last this redistricting cycle) take place under an unconstitutional map,”  Northam was quoted in the news release as writing in the letter. “I am committed to implementing a remedy and hope that one can be in place as soon as possible to minimize impact on the state’s administrative election process. I see no reason to delay a court-drawn remedy where all signs indicate the General Assembly will not enact a remedy map by the current October 30 deadline.”