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Virginia Lawmakers Continue Work on Court Ordered Redistricting

House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox (R-VA)
official photo
House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox (R-VA)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia's House speaker has scheduled a meeting later this month to continue work on a court-ordered legislative map.

GOP House Speaker Kirk Cox announced Wednesday that a House committee will meet Sept. 27.

Republicans also filed a motion Wednesday asking a federal court to reject Democrats' request that federal judges redraw 11 state House districts found to be unconstitutionally gerrymandered.

A federal court ruled in June that lawmakers illegally packed black voters into 11 districts and ordered lawmakers to draw a new map by Oct. 30.

Democrats have said the judges should draw the map themselves because it's clear the GOP-controlled General Assembly is unwilling.

But Cox said a new map is possible if Democrats are willing to work with Republicans "in good faith."

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.