Attorney General Jay Jones issues opinion on early voting for redistricting referendum

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Attorney General Jay Jones issued an advisory opinion on Wednesday about the start of early voting for the controversial mid-decade redistricting referendum, which is set to begin in two days.

On Wednesday, March 4, Jones's office announced that the attorney general issued an advisory opinion at the request of Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) and Del. Marcia Price (D-Newport News).

The opinion said that, under Virginia law, electoral boards and general registrars are required to provide for in-person absentee voting beginning 45 days before Election Day, per the March 4 press release.

“Under Virginia law, electoral boards and general registrars must provide for in-person absentee voting beginning 45 days prior to Election Day and possess no discretion to delay or fail to initiate voting on this timeline outside a valid court order expressly enjoining such administration and issued by a court of competent jurisdiction,” Jones said in a press release. “This Opinion makes clear that any local resolution attempting to disenfranchise its own people by preventing election officials from implementing in-person absentee voting contradicts state law and is legally invalid.”

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According to the opinion, the electoral board and general registrars should not delay or fail to initiate early voting without a valid order by the court.

The opinion also states that any resolution that tries to stop election officials from implementing in-person absentee voting is "inconsistent with state law and therefore legally invalid," per the Office of the Attorney General.

Virginia Democrats said that this proposed map — which would favor Democrats for 10 out of 11 seats in Congress — is an attempt to protect democracy after President Donald Trump successfully lobbied several Republican states, such as Texas, to redraw their congressional maps in a way that favors Republicans.

Early voting to significantly alter Virginia's existing congressional districts begins on Friday, March 6. Election Day for the referendum is April 21.