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RICHMOND, Va. – Chatham Del. Les Adams is among the legislators who will serve on a new commission that will oversee how Virginia redraws its legislative districts in light of population shifts.

Voters approved the commission through a Nov. 3rd referendum and the group is being created with the aim of eliminating gerrymandering.
The 16-member panel will include eight legislators and eight other citizens, evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.

The selected lawmakers are GOP Dels. Les Adams and Margaret Ransone and Democratic Sens. George Barker and Mamie Locke, GOP Sens. Ryan McDougle and Steve Newman, and House Democrats Dels. Delores McQuinn and Marcus Simon.

Leaders in both parties have announced their picks in recent days to serve on the commission.

The eight citizens will be chosen later by retired judges from a list prepared by legislators.

The maps developed by the panel will be sent to the General Assembly for an up-or-down vote with no opportunity to amend them. If the maps are rejected, the Supreme Court of Virginia will draw them.

Redistricting reform has become a hot-button issue nationally. Reformers say the practice of gerrymandering has led to anti-competitive legislative districts that choose polarizing candidates incapable of working across party lines in Washington and in state capitals across the country.

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