Suit: Changing prisoner count weakens rural, GOP districts

[rpannier]

A Republican state senator is among a group of people suing the Virginia Redistricting Commission over plans to count prisoners at their last known address instead of the prisons where they’re incarcerated.

The lawsuit says the change will politically weaken Virginia’s rural and conservative areas after the state draws new congressional and legislative districts.

“Virginia prisons are typically located in rural districts with greater Republican voting strength, particularly in the southside and southwest regions of the commonwealth,” the suit said.

The legal challenge was filed Friday in Virginia’s state Supreme Court. Petitioners include state Sen. Travis Hackworth, who represents a reliably Republican district that stretches from the Virginia-Kentucky border to Radford.

snip

Virginia’s law requires the state to count prisoners based off their last known address before incarceration if it was in Virginia, the NCSL said. If it was out of state, the prison’s address is used.

https://apnews.com/article/prisons-cfa27c005b6024bf8f4ebde20bfcc679

[The Magistrate]

1. He Says That Like It's A Bad Thing, Sir

Anything that disfavors rural Republican districts is a gain for the country and democracy.

[rpannier]

2. I actually do understand the argument that it costs the community money for infrastructure and such

But prisons bring in guards and prisoners don't get to vote
If they can't vote, why should these communities get the freebie of extra representation?

[The Magistrate]

3. I Understand The Argument, Sir, I Just Don't Care

I'm fed to the teeth with these rural dolts who by all available evidence have no business voting at all.

And as you say, we are getting to a sort of 'three-fifths' situation here.

In any district there will be people who are counted present who cannot vote, children, green card holders, etc.. They arise naturally, and are an inherent part of the district.

In the racket these shit-heels are trying to keep, the state takes people from other districts, mostly urban, strips them of the right to vote, and parks them in a rural district, often with the open intention of increasing its clout, and reducing that of others.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. This is way to gerrymander and fix congressional and other boundaries

This is a tactic used by GOP gerrrymanders and should be illegal.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. Prison gerrymandering is a scum way to partisan gerrymander

Partisan gerrymandering needs to be abolished

[bluedevil4]

6. Getting mail

is your address. I saw Miracle on 34th street with Natalie Wood