CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – With early voting set to begin Friday in Virginia on a redistricting amendment that would strengthen Democratic chances of gaining seats in the House of Representatives, former Pres. Barack Obama has thrown his support behind the effort.

In a video posted on social media, Obama urged Virginians to “vote yes” for the amendment.

“Over the past year, several Republican-controlled states have taken the unprecedented step of redrawing their Congressional maps in the middle of the decade,” Obama said in the video. “And they’ve done it for a simple reason. to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms this fall. In April, Virginians can respond by making sure your voting power is not diminished by what Republicans are doing in other states. This amendment gives you the power to level the playing field in the midterms this fall.”

Obama goes on to point out that, unlike the Republican-led redistricting in Texas – which triggered a number of states to consider this type of action – Virginia’s decision whether or not to redistrict will go before the voters. He also noted that the new maps would be temporary, being replaced by maps drawn by a bipartisan redistricting commission after the 2030 census.

“We can’t afford two more years of unchecked power and zero accountability in Washington,” Obama said. “Help us chart a better path forward, Virginia.”

Republicans are challenging the legality of the process Democrats used to get the amendment on the special April 21 ballot. The case will be heard by the Virginia Supreme Court, which ruled Wednesday that the referendum should proceed while they consider the case.

Republicans have decried the Democratic effort, arguing that even if Texas’s redistricting was inappropriate, Virginia should not respond in kind.

California voters have already approved a new map that should favor Democrats, while North Carolina is considering a Republican-led redistricting. Indiana rebuffed President Trump’s push for GOP redistricting there.

“Look, I don’t represent Texas. I represent Virginia,” Del. Tom Garrett told Cville Right Now. “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.”

Garrett and fellow Republican Del. Tim Griffin are scheduled to appear at a redistricting forum on Thursday at the Hillsdale Conference Center. Del. Amy Laufer, a Democrat, has said she will appear virtually the forum, which is being run by the Albemarle County Republican Committee.

Phil Riese, a local businessman who became the committee’s 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 told Cville Right Now. “It’s wrong in Virginia. Virginia should be a leader. But instead, they’re just following what other states are doing.”