First redistricting map drafts leave some lawmakers unhappy

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — With less than two months to complete its work, Virginia's new bipartisan redistricting commission got down to the nitty gritty of drawing maps at its meeting Tuesday. And some legislators on the commission weren't pleased with the first drafts they reviewed.

“I think I would be submitting my resignation from the Senate today” if the draft maps — which only covered northern Virginia — are allowed to stand, said Sen. George Barker, a Fairfax County Democrat who found himself drawn out of his district in both versions of maps reviewed by the commission Tuesday.

The redistricting committee reviewed maps prepared by two different map-drawers — one selected by Democrats and one selected by Republicans — that redraw the lines for the General Assembly in parts of northern Virginia.

Tuesday's step was a first step and something of a baby step: Tuesday's maps focused only on the inner suburbs of northern Virginia, which are heavily Democratic and will be so no matter how the boundaries are drawn.

Northern Virginia “is probably the least controversial area of the state,” said Democratic map drawer Ken Strasma.

And commission co-chair Greta Harris emphasized repeatedly that the maps are just drafts that can be revisited. No votes were taken at Thursday's meeting.

Still, the maps prepared by Strasma and Republican map drawer John Morgan were sufficient to rile up some of the lawmakers serving on the commission.

In addition to Barker, commission member Marcus Simon found his Falls-Church-based district blown up under the maps drawn by the Democratic consultant. The Republican map, from a purely selfish standpoint, was better for Simon, he acknowledged.

In response to questions from Simon, Strasma said his maps gave no consideration to the residency of...