Albemarle County Democrats (Virginia)

As the General Assembly shifts into gear, keep an eye on several exciting bills that could continue Virginia’s progress toward equity, justice, and prosperity–and be ready to reach out to your senators and delegates about any piece of legislation that you particularly favor.

After last fall’s elections proved the benefits of expanding access to voting, a raft of new bills aim to make 2020’s improvements permanent. Proposals from Democrats in the General Assembly include establishing drop boxes and ballot curing for absentee ballots, curbside voting, Sunday absentee voting, voter preregistration for Virginians 16 and older, and eliminating witness signatures on absentee ballots.

Legislators have also proposed bills that would bar any locality from discriminating against minority voters, beef up the transparency of citizen-led redistricting, pass a Constitutional amendment that would create an affirmative right to vote (thus automatically restoring voting rights to convicted felons), and help consign the Electoral College to history’s dustbin by joining the National Popular Vote Compact.

The General Assembly is further considering legalizing marijuana (after previously decriminalizing it) and abolishing the death penalty.

Keep tabs on this and any other legislation you care about through Virginia’s Legislative Information System.

Emerge Virginia’s looking for Democratic women who want to run for office. Whether you’re interested in jumping into politics at the local or state level, they’ll help train you to get on the ballot, campaign, and win. To learn more about who’s eligible and how to apply for their 2021 Signature Program Training, visit Emerge Virginia’s site before the Jan. 11 application deadline!

According to the Division of Legislative Services’ media release, applications will be open through December 28, 2020, for Virginia Redistricting Commission Citizen Members. Eight citizen members and eight legislative members will make up the 16-member Virginia Redistricting Commission. This Commission will be responsible for recommending plans for redrawing districts for the United States House of Representatives, the Senate of Virginia, and the House of Delegates. (Click here to read the full media release.)

Helpful resources:

• The link to the Frequently Asked Questions page.
• The link to the Redistricting Commission Application.

• Postcards to Voters
• Postcards to Swing States
• Vote Forward

• Reclaim Our Vote
• Flip the West
• Raphael Warnock’s Campaign
• Jon Ossoff’s Campaign

• Direct shared donation to Warnock & Ossoff’s campaigns
• Every Last Vote — Support a whole bunch of on-the-ground organizers who’ve been working for years to flip Georgia blue.
• Fair Fight 2020 — Stacey Abrams and her team get stuff done.