SB1018: Redistricting; GIS maps required, review by the Department of Elections.


VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-304.3, 24.2-306, and 30-264 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-103.1, relating to redistricting; Geographic Information System maps required; review by the Department of Elections.
[S 1018]
Approved

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 24.2-304.3, 24.2-306, and 30-264 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 24.2-103.1 as follows:

§ 24.2-103.1. Duties of Department of Elections related to redistricting.

A. Upon receipt of any ordinance and Geographic Information System (GIS) map sent pursuant to § 24.2-304.3 or 24.2-306, the Department shall promptly review the ordinance and map and compare the boundaries contained within with the information in the voter registration system in order to ensure voters have been assigned to the correct districts. The Department shall notify the locality of any corrections that may be necessary.

B. The Department shall maintain and make available on its official website maps showing the current election district and precinct boundaries of each county and city.

§ 24.2-304.3. Recording reapportionment ordinance; notice requirements.

A copy of the ordinance reapportioning representation in the governing body of a county, city, or town, including a description of the boundaries and a map showing the boundaries of the districts or wards, shall be recorded in the official minutes of the governing body.

The clerk of the county, city, or town shall send a certified copy of the ordinance, including a description of the boundaries and a Geographic Information System (GIS) map showing the boundaries of the districts or wards, to the local electoral board, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, State Board the Department of Elections, and the Division of Legislative Services. Any county, city, or town that does not have GIS capabilities may request the Department of Elections to create on its behalf a GIS map showing the boundaries of the districts or wards as set out in the ordinance, and the Department of Elections shall create such a map.

§ 24.2-306. Changes not to be enacted within 60 days of general election; notice requirements.

A. No change in any local election district, precinct, or polling place shall be enacted within 60 days next preceding any general election. Notice shall be published prior to enactment in a newspaper having general circulation in the election district or precinct once a week for two successive weeks. The published notice shall state where descriptions and maps of proposed boundary and polling place changes may be inspected.

B. Notice of any adopted change in any election district, town, precinct, or polling place other than in the location of the office of the general registrar shall be mailed to all registered voters whose election district, town, precinct, or polling place is changed at least 15 days prior to the next general, special, or primary election in which the voters will be voting in the changed election district, town, precinct, or polling place. Notice of a change in the location of the office of the general registrar shall be given by posting on the official website of the county or city, by posting at not less than 10 public places, or by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city within not more than 21 days in advance of the change or within seven days following the change.

C. Each county, city, and town shall comply with the applicable requirements of law, including §§ 24.2-304.3 and 30-264, and send copies of enacted changes, including a Geographic Information System (GIS) map showing the new boundaries of the districts or precincts, to the local electoral board, the State Board Department, and the Division of Legislative Services. Any county, city, or town that does not have GIS capabilities may request the Department of Elections to create on its behalf a GIS map showing the boundaries of the new districts or precincts, and the Department of Elections shall create such a map.

§ 30-264. Staff to Joint Reapportionment Committee; census liaison.

A. The Division of Legislative Services (the Division) shall serve as staff to the Joint Reapportionment Committee. The Director of the Division, or his designated representative, shall serve as the state liaison with the United States Bureau of the Census on matters relating to the tabulation of the population for reapportionment purposes pursuant to United States Public Law 94-171. The governing bodies, electoral boards, and registrars of every county and municipality shall cooperate with the Division of Legislative Services in the exchange of all statistical and other information pertinent to preparation for the census.

B. The Division shall maintain the current election district and precinct boundaries of each county and city as a part of the General Assembly's computer-assisted mapping and redistricting system. Whenever a county or city governing body adopts an ordinance which that changes an election district or precinct boundary, the local governing body shall provide a copy of its ordinance, along with Geographic Information System (GIS) maps and other evidence documenting the boundary, to the Division.

C. The Division shall prepare and maintain a written description of the boundaries for the congressional, senatorial, and House of Delegates districts set out in Article 2 (§ 24.2-302 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title 24.2. The descriptions shall identify each district boundary, insofar as practicable, by reference to political subdivision boundaries or to physical features such as named roads and streets. The Division shall furnish to each general registrar the descriptions for the districts dividing his county or city. The provisions of Article 2, including the statistical reports referred to in Article 2, shall be controlling in any legal determination of a district boundary.


SENATE BILL NO. 1018
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee on Appropriations
on February 11, 2019)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Chase)
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-304.3, 24.2-306, and 30-264 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-103.1, relating to redistricting; Geographic Information System maps required; review by the Department of Elections.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 24.2-304.3, 24.2-306, and 30-264 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 24.2-103.1 as follows:

§ 24.2-103.1. Duties of Department of Elections related to redistricting.

A. Upon receipt of any ordinance and Geographic Information System (GIS) map sent pursuant to § 24.2-304.3 or 24.2-306, the Department shall promptly review the ordinance and map and compare the boundaries contained within with the information in the voter registration system in order to ensure voters have been assigned to the correct districts. The Department shall notify the locality of any corrections that may be necessary.

B. The Department shall maintain and make available on its official website maps showing the current election district and precinct boundaries of each county and city.

§ 24.2-304.3. Recording reapportionment ordinance; notice requirements.

A copy of the ordinance reapportioning representation in the governing body of a county, city, or town, including a description of the boundaries and a map showing the boundaries of the districts or wards, shall be recorded in the official minutes of the governing body.

The clerk of the county, city, or town shall send a certified copy of the ordinance, including a description of the boundaries and a Geographic Information System (GIS) map showing the boundaries of the districts or wards, to the local electoral board, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, State Board the Department of Elections, and the Division of Legislative Services. Any county, city, or town that does not have GIS capabilities may request the Department of Elections to create on its behalf a GIS map showing the boundaries of the districts or wards as set out in the ordinance, and the Department of Elections shall create such a map.

§ 24.2-306. Changes not to be enacted within 60 days of general election; notice requirements.

A. No change in any local election district, precinct, or polling place shall be enacted within 60 days next preceding any general election. Notice shall be published prior to enactment in a newspaper having general circulation in the election district or precinct once a week for two successive weeks. The published notice shall state where descriptions and maps of proposed boundary and polling place changes may be inspected.

B. Notice of any adopted change in any election district, town, precinct, or polling place other than in the location of the office of the general registrar shall be mailed to all registered voters whose election district, town, precinct, or polling place is changed at least 15 days prior to the next general, special, or primary election in which the voters will be voting in the changed election district, town, precinct, or polling place. Notice of a change in the location of the office of the general registrar shall be given by posting on the official website of the county or city, by posting at not less than 10 public places, or by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city within not more than 21 days in advance of the change or within seven days following the change.

C. Each county, city, and town shall comply with the applicable requirements of law, including §§ 24.2-304.3 and 30-264, and send copies of enacted changes, including a Geographic Information System (GIS) map showing the new boundaries of the districts or precincts, to the local electoral board, the State Board Department, and the Division of Legislative Services. Any county, city, or town that does not have GIS capabilities may request the Department of Elections to create on its behalf a GIS map showing the boundaries of the new districts or precincts, and the Department of Elections shall create such a map.

§ 30-264. Staff to Joint Reapportionment Committee; census liaison.

A. The Division of Legislative Services (the Division) shall serve as staff to the Joint Reapportionment Committee. The Director of the Division, or his designated representative, shall serve as the state liaison with the United States Bureau of the Census on matters relating to the tabulation of the population for reapportionment purposes pursuant to United States Public Law 94-171. The governing bodies, electoral boards, and registrars of every county and municipality shall cooperate with the Division of Legislative Services in the exchange of all statistical and other information pertinent to preparation for the census.

B. The Division shall maintain the current election district and precinct boundaries of each county and city as a part of the General Assembly's computer-assisted mapping and redistricting system. Whenever a county or city governing body adopts an ordinance which that changes an election district or precinct boundary, the local governing body shall provide a copy of its ordinance, along with Geographic Information System (GIS) maps and other evidence documenting the boundary, to the Division.

C. The Division shall prepare and maintain a written description of the boundaries for the congressional, senatorial, and House of Delegates districts set out in Article 2 (§ 24.2-302 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title 24.2. The descriptions shall identify each district boundary, insofar as practicable, by reference to political subdivision boundaries or to physical features such as named roads and streets. The Division shall furnish to each general registrar the descriptions for the districts dividing his county or city. The provisions of Article 2, including the statistical reports referred to in Article 2, shall be controlling in any legal determination of a district boundary.


SENATE BILL NO. 1018
Senate Amendments in [ ] – January 25, 2019
A BILL to direct a review of the district assignment of voters throughout the Commonwealth.
Patrons Prior to Engrossment--Senator Chase; Delegate: Kory

Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. Not later than the November general election in [ 2019 2020 ] , each county, city, and town shall review the assignment of voters within its jurisdiction to ensure that voters are assigned to the correct districts. The electoral board and general registrar of each county, city, or town shall conduct this review by comparing the information in the voter registration system with the boundaries of the districts and precincts set out in a Geographic Information System (GIS) map of the locality and shall make corrections to incorrect assignments as necessary. The State Board of Elections, through the Department of Elections, shall provide GIS maps to every electoral board and general registrar and, upon the request of the electoral board and general registrar, assistance in conducting this review. If a locality is in possession of its own GIS map, such map may be used for the review.

After the conclusion of the review and after making any necessary corrections, the counties, cities, and towns shall submit to the State Board of Elections the results of the review and any corrections to voter assignments that were made. On or before the first day of the [ 2020 2021 ] Session of the General Assembly, the State Board of Elections shall submit to the General Assembly a report on the results of the reviews and the corrections to voter assignments that were made.

[2. That the provisions of this act shall not become effective unless an appropriation effectuating the purposes of this act is included in a general appropriation act passed in 2019 by the General Assembly that becomes law. ]

SENATE BILL NO. 1018

Offered January 9, 2019
Prefiled August 22, 2018
A BILL to direct a review of the district assignment of voters throughout the Commonwealth.
Patron-- Chase

Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. Not later than the November general election in 2019, each county, city, and town shall review the assignment of voters within its jurisdiction to ensure that voters are assigned to the correct districts. The electoral board and general registrar of each county, city, or town shall conduct this review by comparing the information in the voter registration system with the boundaries of the districts and precincts set out in a Geographic Information System (GIS) map of the locality and shall make corrections to incorrect assignments as necessary. The State Board of Elections, through the Department of Elections, shall provide GIS maps to every electoral board and general registrar and, upon the request of the electoral board and general registrar, assistance in conducting this review. If a locality is in possession of its own GIS map, such map may be used for the review.

After the conclusion of the review and after making any necessary corrections, the counties, cities, and towns shall submit to the State Board of Elections the results of the review and any corrections to voter assignments that were made. On or before the first day of the 2020 Session of the General Assembly, the State Board of Elections shall submit to the General Assembly a report on the results of the reviews and the corrections to voter assignments that were made.