Virginia: Amendment 1

Campaign Summary

Virginia’s voting maps are rigged. Every ten years, politicians draw voting districts, picking their own voters without oversight, transparency, or citizen involvement. A dedicated group of Virginians decided to change that. In 2018, they kicked off a grassroots campaign to stop gerrymandering in Virginia. To amend the state constitution, the law first had to be passed by the legislature in two separate years, then placed on the ballot for the voters to decide. In an impressive display of bipartisan cooperation, the law passed both houses of the legislature in 2019 and 2020, putting the question before Virginia voters in November of 2020.

Connect to the campaign

November 2020

1/1

November 3, 2020

Virginia voters pass Amendment 1 with over 65% of the vote, ending partisan gerrymandering in the state.

October 2020

1/4

2/4

3/4

4/4

October 16, 2020

The Yes on 1 campaign releases another TV ad, “Split in Half,” explaining the problem with Virginia’s broken status quo.

October 14, 2020

The Yes on 1 campaign begins airing its first TV ad, “Crooked Lines.”

October 8, 2020

Actor Jennifer Lawrence releases a video in support of Amendment 1.

October 1, 2020

The Yes on 1 Campaign holds a community conversation with lifelong voting rights advocates Vickie Williams-Cullins, Bobby Vassar and Phillip Thompson to discuss how Amendment 1 will impact Black and Brown communities. The Amendment ensures that the rights of minority communities are taken into account in the redistricting process, adding these protections to Virginia’s constitution.

September 2020

1/3

2/3

3/3

September 30, 2020

The Washington Post Editorial Board endorses Amendment 1: “[A]s a tough compromise struck between Democrats and Republicans in Richmond, it would form a thoroughly bipartisan commission that would forge voting districts — not in hidden backrooms, as has been the practice for decades, but in public, for all to see.”

September 17, 2020

The Yes on 1 campaign kicks off a “Community Conversations” series with Academics for Amendment 1. Prof. Rebecca Green of William and Mary Law School, Asst. Prof. Nick Goedert of VT Political Science & Asst. Prof. Alex Keena of VCU Political Science discuss how their research applies to Amendment 1.

September 3, 2020

Deb Wake, President of the League of Women Voters of Virginia joins FairMaps VA’s Brian Cannon for a Tele-Town Hall.

July 2020

1/1

July 22, 2020

Fair Maps Virginia holds its official campaign kickoff.

March 2020

1/3

2/3

Thank you, Senators! This was a strong bi-partisan vote for the redistricting amendment tonight - 38-2!!! pic.twitter.com/Ho75wNaumK
— UpVote Virginia (@UpVoteVA) February 12, 2020

3/3

March 5, 2020

SJR 18 passes the Virginia legislature for the second time, placing the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot.

During the legislative session, RepresentUs volunteers held several phone banks in support of the bill, making nearly 15,000 calls to Virginians.

January 2020

1/1

January 2, 2020

The proposed Amendment is reintroduced as SJR 18.

2019

1/1

February 23, 2019

SJR 306 and HJR 615 are reconciled in a conference committee, and pass the Virginia legislature.

January 9, 2019

A second anti-gerrymandering bill, SJR 306 is introduced in the Virginia legislature.

January 1, 2019

Anti-gerrymandering bill HJR 615 is introduced in the Virginia legislature.

2018

1/1

March 4, 2018

OneVirgina2021 launches its March Forth campaign, a 10-month education and organizing plan to build momentum to end gerrymandering in Virginia.

Back to Election Hub