Census numbers come out tomorrow that legislators will use to redistrict

Detailed census figures come out later this week that will show Virginia’s dramatically shifting population and challenge the General Assembly to insure fair representation. But as Charles Fishburne reports, redistricting is not always about being fair.

Tomorrow, the Census Bureau will deliver the neighborhood population data from the 2010 census, needed for the state to start its once-a-decade process of redrawing legislative and Congressional districts.

Sabato:  The legislators will use the numbers to rewarding friends and punishing enemies.

UVA’s Larry Sabato says politicans will be fighting to preserve their power.

Sabato:  Here's how they could deal with it.  They could cut that little sucker up in four or five pieces, putting a little piece here, a little piece in this district, a little piece in that district over here, a little piece in this district down here, thereby diluting the impact of the population increase.

The redistricting session is set for April, and incumbency and partisanship will be an important factor.

Sabato:  The numbers are interesting and we'll all pay attention to them, but what really counts is how the legislature chooses to draw the line.

Charles Fishburne, WCVE News
 

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