Virginia’s leading role in the earliest years of the nation’s history gives the state so many claims to fame that some things get overlooked.
A notable example that’s a current hot topic in Virginia is gerrymandering.
At a Newport News town hall event focused on redistricting Sunday, Del. Marcia “Cia” Price, D-Newport News, invited experts on the subject to explain how redistricting works, why it happens and the far-reaching impacts.
Virginia lawmakers are drafting new court-ordered maps for six majority African-American districts in Hampton Roads, which could bring major changes in the makeup of the House of Delegates. Price said the current maps pack in black voters, diminishing their voice on statewide issues.
Strategically drawn district maps are nothing new in Virginia, according to Quentin Kidd, a Christopher Newport University academic dean and head of the school’s Wason Center for Public Policy.
He said the practice goes back more than two centuries to Patrick Henry. In 1789, the two-time Virginia governor was working against his rival James Madison, who was running for a congressional seat against James Monroe.
Henry — famous for his “Give me liberty, or give me death!” declaration in 1775 (yes, he’s also the namesake of the mall in Newport News) — wasn’t successful in limiting the influence of Madison, who was elected to Congress and went on to become president. Don’t feel bad for Monroe, though — he also fared well as a politician.
Back then, Kidd said, it was hard to draw strategic boundaries because of a lack of data on voters and the reliance on word of mouth to learn people’s stances.
Fast forward to today, and drawing a gerrymandered map is pretty easy, Kidd said.
The people drawing maps don’t just have access to whether you voted in the Republican or Democratic primary. They can, however, look at things such as what magazines or other products you buy to get a read on the way you might vote, Kidd said. Then, they could decide the most advantageous way to draw the lines or divide up your neighborhood.
For whatever reason, Henry did not get enough credit for his attempt at strategic redistricting to become the practice’s namesake.
That honor goes to former Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry, who approved state Senate redistricting in 1812 to benefit his party. Perhaps it’s fitting he was a Democratic-Republican.
Gerry went on to lose his re-election bid as governor but bounced back and became vice president, serving under — you guessed it — Henry’s rival James Madison.
Domestic violence awareness training
Newport News is hosting a training program to help people identify signs of domestic violence and resources to help the family involved.
The event will be Wednesday from 1-2:30 p.m. at the South Morrison Family Education Center, 746 Adams Drive.
People who have been affected by domestic violence will share their stories, and licensed therapists will present information.
October is domestic violence awareness month, and the city is offering events and resources to emphasize that family and friends can play a major role in supporting victims and helping them get out of violent relationships and situations, according to a news release.
Newport News Youth Services is hosting Wednesday’s event with help from the police department, the Center for Child and Family Services, and the Girls Recognizing Our Worth Foundation, a support organization for people experiencing domestic violence.
The event is free and open to the public, and the program is geared toward teens, parents and professionals working with families.
People are asked to RSVP at bit.ly/2RS2QY1 or by contacting Corey Hampton at 757-369-6835 or champton@nnva.gov.
