By URIAH KISER
A move by the Virginia Senate on Monday could bring major changes to Virginia’s Senate Districts in Prince William and Stafford counties.
Senate Republicans who voiced unhappiness about political districts approved in 2011 as part of the state’s decennial redistricting process voted to change them, and many of the proposed changes will affect democratic districts in our area.
According to the proposal, Sen. Toddy Puller, D-36, currently represents portions of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford counties. Under the new plan, her district would rescind back into Fairfax County centering on the Franconia, Kingstowne, and the south Alexandria areas.
With Woodbridge open under the new plan, it would now be included in the 37th District represented by Democrat David W. Marsden, — a district now centered around Burke and other neighborhoods in Fairfax County.
More to the Story: See an interactive map of the proposed changes.
Bryce Reeves, D-17, now has a district that ranges between Fredericksburg and Charlottesville, but the new plan would mean he would lose both cities and pick up territory in Fauquier County, and slivers of territory in Prince William and Stafford counties, mostly in the Quantico Marine Corps Base and rural Prince William areas.
That also means changes to the five-way Senate district split in Prince William County, bringing the number of Senators down to four with Marsden taking Woodbridge and eastern Prince William, and Reeves taking portions of western and rural Prince William. Sen. Dick Black, R-13, Loudoun, Prince William, would be given all of all of Manassas Park. The longest serving State Senator Chuck Colgan, D-29, would keep Manassas and see his district expanded to include more of central Prince William County in the Coles Magisterial District.
Senator George Barker, D-39, would see his district rescind back into Fairfax and no longer include Prince William. Sen. Richard Stuart, R-28, would give up his portion of rural and western Prince William and would see his district rescind back into Stafford County and extending as far southeast as Kilmarnock in Richmond County.
Overall under the new plan, the Senate says 28 counties will now be considered “split” counties, down from 36, and the number of ‘split” towns decreases from 16 to just two under the plan.
The plan also includes combining the 24th and 25th districts in the Shenandoah Valley currently held by Emmett Hanger, Jr., R, and Creigh Deeds, D.
The bill is expected next to move into the House and, if approved, onto Gov. Robert F. McDonnell.
The new changes would not take effect until the election of 2015.
