CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – As the Republican party ramps up its campaign against a Democrat-led redistricting amendment, with early voting for an April 21 referendum beginning Friday, Del. Tom Garrett and Del. Tim Griffin will appear in Charlottesville Thursday at a forum aimed at informing prospective voters of the GOP’s position.

“This is intentionally drawing lines in order to silence minority voices,” Garrett told Cville Right Now, arguing that as conservatives in an overwhelmingly liberal state, GOP voters would be disenfranchised by the Democrats’ proposed map. “So, if we tell the truth, I don’t know how that wins. I have confidence that people from both sides of the aisle will see this for what it is. We have literally suspended the Constitution temporarily. I’ve never heard of that being done before. With a promise that we’ll get back around to the Constitution later, right?”

The Albemarle County Republican Committee is hosting Thursday’s event at 6 p.m. at the Hillsdale Conference Center. Garrett, who represents the 56th District, which includes Buckingham and parts of Fluvanna and Louisa Counties, and Griffin, 53rd District, will be part of a conversation on the redistricting vote moderated by Dr. Marshall Pattie. The event is, in part, in response to a Democratic television ad that has been running urging residents to vote “yes” on the redistricting amendment question.

“It really is kind of a local initiative and really trying to educate the local population on this redistricting amendment,” Chairman of the Albemarle Republican Committee Phil Riese told Cville Right Now. “A lot of people are seeing this commercial and that’s about all they’re hearing about it. So, the purpose of this forum is to allow people to ask questions, get answers and just get a little bit more informed on what’s all this redistricting about?”

Riese said he invited Del. Amy Laufer to attend the forum, and Laufer told Cville Right Now she is “hoping to virtually participate for a segment of the forum.”

“Given that the Virginia legislative session is ongoing, I am currently working in Richmond and unable to attend events that are in-person during the work week,” Laufer said. “I always welcome the opportunity to speak with constituents about the upcoming referendum and the pressing issues facing Virginians. Early voting begins Friday, March 6th and I encourage everyone to participate.”

The Democratic-dominated General Assembly passed the redistricting amendment in two separate sessions, one before November’s election that saw Democrat Abigal Spanberger elected Governor and 13 GOP seats flip to Democrats, and one in this first session of the new year.

The question now goes before voters, starting Friday. The Virginia Supreme Court is also considering whether Democrats followed the state constitution procedurally in passing the amendment and sending it to the voters. A decision from that high court is not expected until after the April 21 referendum results are in.

Garrett believes both the Democrats’ process and their objective go against the Virginia constitution.

“If intentionally disenfranchising people who maybe aren’t like the people in power was wrong under Jim Crow, why isn’t it wrong now? That’s a serious question,” Garrett said. “If the best answer you got is because Texas that I ask you what the hell you’re doing in the Virginia General Assembly.”

Riese said the proposed new maps gave Northern Virginia, a population center that is heavily Democratic area, too much representation.

“It would dramatically increase how much power and influence Northern Virginia has on Virginia politics,” Riese said. “So, this new map that the Democrats have unveiled, a person could drive from Alexandria, Virginia to Dulles Airport, a 30-minute drive, and they would cross five different congressional districts.”

Garrett said a big issue Republicans see is the actual wording of the ballot question.

The question asks voters, “Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia’s standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?”

Garrett said that’s another reason the forum is an important event.

“These forums are incredibly important because the people who wrote the ballot question, literally in the question, say, ‘Hey, shall we make things fair, right?'” Garrett said. “I’m paraphrasing, but not by much. And so obviously, I think it’s a little dangerous when you start having ballot initiatives where there’s an implicit bias in the very wording of the question.”

Democrats have argued that there redistricting push is being done to counter a similar measure – done without voter approval – in Texas, at the behest of Trump. California has already responded in kind with a new map that should favor Democrats, while North Carolina is considering a Republican-led redistricting.

Indiana rebuffed Trump’s push for GOP redistricting there.

Asked if Texas’s redistricting complicates Virginia Republicans argument against a Democratic response, Garrett said he didn’t think so.

“Look, I don’t represent Texas. I represent Virginia,” Garrett said. “We have a Constitution that we amended. I don’t know, 5 years ago, 6 years ago. Where 99 out of 100 House of Delegates districts voted overwhelmingly, like 66-33, to never gerrymander again. And the point of a constitution is to create a document that doesn’t need to be perpetually amended or set aside temporarily or what have you. That’s what they’re doing here.

“So, I’m not given responsibility to oversee what the court ordered to be done in Texas. I do and have cited the brave men and women on the Republican side of the aisle in Indiana, who refused to do this for parties and political reasons, but ultimately my charge is to represent people from the 56th District in Virginia.”

Riese, a local businessman who became the chairman in February, condemned the national redistricting push from both parties.

“Gerrymandering is wrong in Texas. It’s wrong in California. It’s wrong in any state that’s trying to do that,” Riese said. “It’s wrong in Virginia. Virginia should be a leader. But instead, they’re just following what other states are doing.”

Riese noted that while the Democrats’ amendment is temporary, it would last until 2030, going through multiple Congressional election cycles.

“If this was truly temporary, it wouldn’t last for the next three elections here in Virginia,” he said. “So, if voters vote yes, it would not only affect the election in 2026, it would not only affect the election in 2028, but would have also affect the election in 2030. That’s the next three Congressional elections. This is going to last much longer than Donald Trump’s last term. We’re going to have a new President in 2030.”