So, what will the Virginian Democrats do about this fiasco and the electoral college? This

[monmouth3]

is blatant fraud. Some votes are more important than others? WTH? Is this even legal? Repubs know they cannot win an election the honest way so they're fooling around with the electoral votes? I'm really concerned about this, how can it stand?

[JaneyVee]

1. It's glaringly obvious the republicans don't care about democracy, only power & control.

What a sad excuse for a political party.

[trublu992]

2. I don't have alot of hope in reality they should of been anticiapting some sort of crap from Reps

I saw one of the senate dems on Rachael a couple of nights ago he looked weak and confused I guess he thought appearing on Rachael was some sort of response

[davidn3600]

3. States are allowed to determine on their own how their electoral voters are decided

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress:
Article II, Section I, US Constitution

Two states (Maine and Nebraska) have divided up their electoral votes for awhile now. In 2008, Obama actually won one of Nebraska's votes.

[jeff47]

5. Within limits

For example, they can't make some votes count much more than others. Nor can they discriminate against a protected class.

Nebraska and Maine divvy up their votes to fit their populations better. This proposal is the opposite.

[0rganism]

4. what CAN they do?

Since VA is a former confederate state, maybe use the VRA to challenge the new districts in court, if they can show racial bias....

Aside from that, about the only recourse I see is
- overturn the redistricting by referendum/citizen-sponsored ballot initiative (if the state's constitution allows for it)
- elect a Democratic governor in 2014

I wouldn't bet a whole lot of money on either one, though.

[jeff47]

6. It's not clear that they can redistrict now.

The VA constitution says they redistrict after each census. It doesn't say they can do it between censuses. It also doesn't say they can't do it. Courts often interpret that as saying they can't do it, but we'll have to see if that'll work here.

[meow2u3]

8. Here's the section of the VA Constitution. They can't re-redistrict in mid-decade

http://constitution.legis.virginia.gov/

Section 6. Apportionment.

Members of the House of Representatives of the United States and members of the Senate and of the House of Delegates of the General Assembly shall be elected from electoral districts established by the General Assembly. Every electoral district shall be composed of contiguous and compact territory and shall be so constituted as to give, as nearly as is practicable, representation in proportion to the population of the district. The General Assembly shall reapportion the Commonwealth into electoral districts in accordance with this section in the year 2011 and every ten years thereafter.

Any such decennial reapportionment law shall take effect immediately and not be subject to the limitations contained in Article IV, Section 13, of this Constitution.

The districts delineated in the decennial reapportionment law shall be implemented for the November general election for the United States House of Representatives, Senate, or House of Delegates, respectively, that is held immediately prior to the expiration of the term being served in the year that the reapportionment law is required to be enacted. A member in office at the time that a decennial redistricting law is enacted shall complete his term of office and shall continue to represent the district from which he was elected for the duration of such term of office so long as he does not move his residence from the district from which he was elected. Any vacancy occurring during such term shall be filled from the same district that elected the member whose vacancy is being filled.

[jeff47]

9. It also doesn't say they can't do it mid-decade

That's the problem. They could find some judges who decide the lack of a ban means it's OK.

[bluestate10]

7. Democrats in Virginia need to fight hard to control the state in the 2014 elections.

winning the Governor's seat and taking control of the legislature will allow democrats to simply reverse the action that republicans are determined to vote in, and we must help democrats in Virginia and other states where republicans are trying this type of action. Democrats gained seats in Florida in 2012, after years where republicans were steadily gaining seats. We must help democrats take back control in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and build our base in Minnesota, Iowa and gain seats in Missouri. We can't let our efforts wane like in 2010.