Redistricting; GIS maps required, review by the Department of Elections. (HB1216)
Introduced By
Del. Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria) with support from co-patrons Del. Paul Krizek (D-Alexandria), and Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Redistricting; Geographic Information System maps required; review by the Department of Elections. Requires the clerk of the county, city, or town to send a Geographic Information System (GIS) map, along with the ordinance containing a description of the boundaries, to the local electoral board, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Department of Elections, and the Division of Legislative Services when redistricting local election districts or making any changes to the local election districts or precincts. The bill requires the Department to review any ordinance and GIS map received and compare the boundaries contained within with the information in the voter registration system to ensure voters have been assigned to the correct districts and to direct any corrections to be made if necessary. The Department is further required to maintain and make available on its official website maps showing the current election district and precinct boundaries of each county and city. Read the Bill »
Outcome
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/10/2018 | Committee |
01/10/2018 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101744D |
01/10/2018 | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
01/19/2018 | Impact statement from DHCD/CLG (HB1216) |
01/22/2018 | Assigned P & E sub: Subcommittee #2 |
01/25/2018 | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (6-Y 0-N) |
01/25/2018 | Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations |
01/25/2018 | Impact statement from DPB (HB1216) |
01/26/2018 | Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendments (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
01/26/2018 | Referred to Committee on Appropriations |
01/29/2018 | Assigned App. sub: General Government & Capital Outlay |
02/07/2018 | Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (8-Y 0-N) |
02/13/2018 | Left in Appropriations |
Comments
This sounds like a commonsense solution, using the best available technology, to solve a surprisingly large problem, as the WaPo recently reported. When precincts or districts are redrawn, HB1216 would require that GIS (Geographic Information System) maps be used to ensure that voters are placed in the correct precinct and district. The state Department of Elections would create such a map for any locality without its own GIS capability. This bill has gained several Democratic co-patrons since it was introduced and appears to have bipartisan support, as it has advanced from House Privileges & Elections Subcommittee #2 with a recommendation that it be reported to the full House.