Redistricting bills meet different fates in panels

Hours after a Republican-led subcommittee shot down a bipartisan redistricting proposal yesterday, the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee unanimously approved a similar measure.

The bills would create bipartisan panels to redraw legislative and congressional districts in 2011, a year after the census.

"This is our last chance," said state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, who has been proposing such legislation for seven years. "If we don't get it done now, we will have to go another 10 years" without such a measure.

Referring to the earlier House action, Deeds added: "I've got no illusions. [But] this is the right thing to do."

The Deeds measure, Senate Bill 173, would set up a seven-member commission, consisting of three Democrats and three Republicans and a seventh member picked by the other six.

The House Privileges and Elections subcommittee of three Republicans and two Democrats heard from the League of Women Voters, grocery executive James E. Ukrop, and the Virginia Organizing Project, all advocating for bipartisan redistricting.

Afterward, explaining the three Republican votes against the measure, Del. John A. Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, said: "It's going to be political, no matter what is done."

Currently, the General Assembly draws the political lines of General Assembly districts and congressional districts. Critics say the legislators draw districts to suit their political interests, rather than to suit the interests of voters.

Gov. Bob McDonnell, a one-time critic, has said he now favors bipartisan redistricting, but yesterday his office sent no one to speak about the bills in either body.

The redistricting is done the year after the census. The redistricting may be more bipartisan next year, anyway, because Democrats control the Senate and Republicans control the House of Delegates.

In 2001, when Republicans had a majority in both bodies and for the first time controlled redistricting, Republicans picked up 13 seats in the House and three in the Senate.

Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or .