New federal lawsuit aims to force 2022 Virginia House elections

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — One other federal lawsuit hoping to power new Virginia Home of Delegates elections this 12 months has been filed by an writer two days after an analogous effort from a Democratic lawyer was dismissed.

The lawsuit from Jeff Thomas, who has written two books on Virginia politics and authorities, comes after a three-judge panel dismissed a lawsuit from Paul Goldman, the previous chairman of the Virginia Democratic Get together, that sought 2022 Home elections.

Goldman’s lawsuit, which Thomas tried to hitch however was prevented from by the federal courtroom, alleged the 2021 Home of Delegates elections had been invalid as a result of they had been held beneath districts drawn utilizing 2010 census knowledge and that inhabitants variations between the brand new districts didn’t meet “one individual, one vote” requirements.

The panel — made up of U.S. District Choose David J. Novak, U.S. Circuit Choose Stephanie D. Thacker, and U.S. District Choose Raymond A. Jackson — dominated Goldman lacked authorized standing as a voter and potential candidate to deliver the case ahead. Goldman mentioned he’ll enchantment the choice to the 4th U.S. Circuit Courtroom of Appeals.

However the courtroom famous that others, together with Thomas, might probably be discovered to have standing with a brand new lawsuit.

Novak wrote within the courtroom’s opinion that Goldman’s argument for authorized standing as a voter falls brief as a result of his house district was overrepresented as a consequence of it being underpopulated, that means his vote was not diluted consequently.

Thomas argues in his lawsuit that his house district within the metropolis of Richmond, District 71, is overpopulated and ends in a 31% inhabitants deviation in comparison with the smallest Home district. The lawsuit asserts the deviation violates the constitutional rights of Thomas and different residents within the 71st District.

“With out Courtroom intervention, Defendants will proceed to violate the rights of Plaintiff and 93,524 different underrepresented folks in HD 71-2011 to equal safety, equal voting rights and equal political illustration within the Virginia Home of Delegates till new Home of Delegates members are sworn in beneath constitutional traces in 2024,” Thomas’ lawsuit states.

However with Virginia’s congressional primaries set for June 21 and the midterms being on Nov. 8, the timeline for one more spherical of Virginia Home elections is dwindling. Thomas notes this in his lawsuit and requests that the courtroom expedite the schedule of the case.

The Jap District of Virginia has agreed to carry a standing listening to on June 13.