These northern parts of Norfolk, stretching from Ocean View and the airport down to Ward's Corner and Larchmont, should remain connected to the Eastern Shore. They have share more interests with the Virginia Beach communities of Bayside than they do with Hampton, and have long been adjoined by the Eastern Shore as well.

The commentary says it all. Its absurd to ignore the mountain and isolate Nelson from Albemarle and Charlottesville.

SENATE MAP A6 – Republican Consultant • Districts 37 and 38 o This map under-populates District 37 and over-populates adjoining District 38 o Divides the community of Glenvar in Roanoke County, much of which shares a ZIPCode with neighboring Salem. • Districts exceeding Commission’s agreed-upon population deviation limits o District 36 (+3.24%, overpopulated by 6,987) o District 38 (+2.64%, overpopulated by 5,654) o District 39 (+2.78%, overpopulated by 5,999) o Collectively, MAP A6 overpopulates Southwest Districts by nearly 15,000 SENATE MAP B4 – Democrat Consultant • District 37 o This is an obvious and particularly egregious partisan gerrymander o The district is not compact o The district is barely contiguous – linking Roanoke City to Radford and Blacksburg by following a 40-mile-long thin line of precincts along the southern borders of Montgomery and Roanoke Counties o This is clearly a district drawn to protect a single incumbent, disregarding the interests of the people living in between the three Democrat constituencies and defying communities of interest • Districts exceeding Commission’s agreed-upon population deviation limits o District 36 (+3.24%, overpopulated by 6,987) o District 39 (+2.78%, overpopulated by 5,999) o Collectively, MAP B4 overpopulates Southwest by nearly 12,000

SENATE MAP A6 – Republican Consultant • Districts 37 and 38 o This map under-populates District 37 and over-populates adjoining District 38 o Divides the community of Glenvar in Roanoke County, much of which shares a ZIPCode with neighboring Salem. • Districts exceeding Commission’s agreed-upon population deviation limits o District 36 (+3.24%, overpopulated by 6,987) o District 38 (+2.64%, overpopulated by 5,654) o District 39 (+2.78%, overpopulated by 5,999) o Collectively, MAP A6 overpopulates Southwest Districts by nearly 15,000 SENATE MAP B4 – Democrat Consultant • District 37 o This is an obvious and particularly egregious partisan gerrymander o The district is not compact o The district is barely contiguous – linking Roanoke City to Radford and Blacksburg by following a 40-mile-long thin line of precincts along the southern borders of Montgomery and Roanoke Counties o This is clearly a district drawn to protect a single incumbent, disregarding the interests of the people living in between the three Democrat constituencies and defying communities of interest • Districts exceeding Commission’s agreed-upon population deviation limits o District 36 (+3.24%, overpopulated by 6,987) o District 39 (+2.78%, overpopulated by 5,999) o Collectively, MAP B4 overpopulates Southwest by nearly 12,000

NELSON County is much more aligned with Albemarle than Augusta or Staunton. The main road for northern Nelson ends in Albemarle. Also much of our business/tourist income comes from Albemarle and almost none from Augusta or west of Nelson. Bottom line: we have no connection that would align us with Augusta or counties west.

I appreciate the work that has gone into all this, but Powhatan County is significantly misrepresented. Check out the 2006 Brookings Institution Census Series report on "Finding Exurbia," in which Powhatan is identified as an exurb of Richmond. (Not Lynchburg, not Farmville, but Richmond.) To qualify as exurban in this report, localities needed to be "communities located on the urban fringe that have at least 20 percent of their workers commuting to jobs in an urbanized area, exhibit low housing density, and have relatively high population growth." And that was looking at data from 1990 to 2006. Since then, even more Richmond-dependent residents and businesses have moved to or emerged within Powhatan County due to the completion of Rt 288 and the establishment of its corridor. Yet the present redistricting plan includes the entirety of Powhatan County along with the outskirts of Lynchburg and extends down to NC. This doesn't make sense--but worse, it provides for inadequate representation.

Powhatan's economy depends on the greater Richmond area. Many who live here work in the Greater Richmond area as well as those who own businesses. Our traffic through the county on 60 flows from Cumberland through us to Chesterfield and Richmond. Grouping us in with counties who are not as economically aligned with the Richmond area is not right.

Powhatan's economy depends on the greater Richmond area. Many who live here work in the Greater Richmond area as well as those who own businesses. Our traffic through the county on 60 flows from Cumberland through us to Chesterfield and Richmond. Grouping us in with counties who are not as economically aligned with the Richmond area is not right.

The fact that Democrat Senator George Barker was able to simply whine and have the maps redrawn so that he didn't have to face a Democrat primary is astounding. Not to mention that the maps were also changed so that the known two retiring Democrats, Howell and Saslaw, were also drawn into the only two districts with more than one incumbent. What a Democrat sham. This is exactly the sort of partisan, pick your voters instead of the other way around process that Virginias overwhelmingly rejected last year. This map should be discarded and thrown into the wastebasket for the partisan trash that it is.

IN-CREDIBLE. George Barker whines about his district and all of a sudden he has no more competition in the next map. So much for a citizen driven process. The Democrats have made a mockery of this from the start. The only districts with more than one incumbent now just so happens to be the two Howell and Saslaw retiring from? This has become the partisan sham Virginians overhwleming rejected last year. Shame on George Barker and Virginia Democrats for abusing their power. This map should not be adopted as it proves that George Barker and the Democrats were allowed to pick their voters instead of the other way around.

Powhatan is a county in transition from rural to suburban. The construction of State Route 288 has ensured that we are socially and economically tied to the greater Richmond region. Powhatan has little in common with the counties of Southside Virginia, some of which are hours away from us. While many Southside counties are dealing with how to recover from economic hard times and attract new business, Powhatan is working to avoid out of control growth that comes from being an outer suburban county. Please reconsider as this makes no sense whatsoever for either Powhatan, or those Southside counties.

For many years the City of Fredericksburg has been lumped into a heavily rural district which has deprived us a Senator in tune with the needs of a community situated off the I-95 corridor. Fredericksburg should not be in the same district as King George. We need a district that will focus on our transportation needs and would prefer a district similar to the B3 map with Northern Spotsylvania, Fredericksburg, and South Stafford in one district. Even if you wanted to make a "Fredericksburg" district (22401, 22407, 22408, 22403, 22405, 22406) to eliminate the confusion from voters who think they live in "Fredericksburg" every year but don't actually live in the city (22401).

If the question is whether the increasingly urban communities in the New River Valley, namely Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford and their suburbs belong as communities of interest with rural and outlying areas of Allegheny, Highland, and Bath Counties rather than with Roanoke and the Roanoke Valley, it should be an easy answer that the I-81 corridor communities belong together for political representation. Over the past decade these communities have become interwoven in the areas of technology, transportation, research, innovation, and medical endeavors, especially the VT and Radford Universities collaboration with Carilion. Moving forward, in terms of challenges and opportunities for SWVA, these are communities of interest that can and will provide leadership to make our area of the state stronger, and their state senate representation should not be disjointed, but rather, unified.

Combining Nelson County with communities on the western side of the Blue Ridge shows a shocking lack of knowledge about this area. The reasons why Nelson County should be kept in the same voting district as Albemarle County start with a review of the 5 physiographic regions of VA. Going east to west in the state, the physiographic regions are Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Ridge $ Valley, and Appalachian Plateau. The Blue Ridge lies between the Piedmont and Ridge & Valley, and the soils are totally different on each side of the Blue Ridge. Piedmont soils tend to have a lower pH than Ridge & Valley soils, so the agriculture practiced in Nelson (east of the Blue Ridge) differs considerably from the Shenandoah Valley (west of the Blue Ridge). For example, Nelson does not have a poultry industry, but this is a very important agricultural pursuit in the Shenandoah Valley. The streams and rivers in Nelson County all flow into the James River, while the rivers and streams of the Shenandoah Valley flow into the Potomac River. Nelson falls under the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District, and our local water concerns are with the James River and its tributaries, not the Potomac River. Many of our governmental services are connected with Albemarle - our library, medical, and regional jail systems being three that are of extreme importance. A major industry in Nelson is its wineries, breweries, and distillers, and the county is part of the Monticello Wine Trail that flows and pours between Albemarle and Nelson Counties. The community college that Nelson High School graduates attend is Piedmont Virginia Community College in Albemarle. A majority of Nelson residents go to Charlottesville and Albemarle County when it comes to shopping for items not readily available in Nelson, such as new cars, home improvement appliances and building supplies, specialty grocery stores, etc. Nelson is part of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District, which covers transportation concerns in the area. The major transportation corridor through Nelson and Albemarle is U.S. 29, a highway that lies entirely east of the Blue Ridge. On the west side of the Blue Ridge, the transportation corridor that gets political attention is I-81. Please do not place Nelson County into a district where our local concerns and interests do not intersect. Nelson has so many affiliations with Albemarle - agriculture, business, governmental, medical, cultural - that the two counties should be in the same district.

I believe this split in our District will be causing more difficulties in our County Government. No one in this county is affiliated with the Shenandoah Region or August County. Of all neighboring districts we are aligned with Western Albemarle and Afton as a Post Office in the North District actually serves Albemarle addresses and residences. How is this part of our community? What is going on here? Please review this and correct our district to be united in Community.

I note that several Nelson County residents have urged the Commission to include their county with Albemarle, Fluvanna and Buckingham counties in proposed Senate district 31. As the Commissioners and mapmakers discussed during the Sept 27th meeting, doing so might necessitate taking Greene County out of proposed Senate district 31 to keep the district within the population limits and including Greene in proposed district 13 with six other counties to its north. For the following reasons, I oppose removing all of Greene County out of district 31 and into district 13. 1. Many of those proposing Nelson County’s inclusion in proposed district 31 cite the cultural, commercial and economic bonds between Nelson and Albemarle. Because I’ve lived in Greene County for 15 years, I can assert that those same bonds have long existed between Greene and Albemarle counties and the city of Charlottesville. Greene county residents regularly go there to shop, seek medical care at UVa’s and Martha Jefferson Sentara Hospitals and, every day, drive 15-25 miles into Albemarle and Charlottesville to their jobs. In fact, it is estimated that 75% of Greene County’s employed residents work in Albemarle or Charlottesville. In contrast, relatively few drive 30-35 miles north to jobs in Culpepper, the nearest population center in district 13. 2. Greene is a small county with about 55% of its 20,000 residents living in two of its five voting precincts. Those two precincts – Ruckersville and Midway – are located mostly south, east and west of the intersection of east-west state route 33 and north-south state route 29. Route 29 reaches the Greene/Albemarle border about four miles south of this intersection and those many Greene residents working in Albemarle and Charlottesville commute to their jobs on Route 29. If population limits make it impossible to keep all of Greene County in district 31, I propose that the district at least include Greene’s two most populous voting precincts – Ruckersville and Midway. If some of Nelson’s voting precincts are more populated than others and adjacent to and interconnected with Albemarle, perhaps those precincts could also be included in district 31. I understand the Commission’s preference not to split counties, but in the higher interest of keeping adjacent and interconnected communities together, I propose this solution as an equitable one.

Concerning boundaries between #6 & #7 -- I object to the Carving out Colts Neck Community from its natural community. Using a small internal neighborhood road like Coltsneck instead of the natural barrier of Lawyers road is not credible -- these 50 or so homes should stay with the reston community on the north side of lawyers rd. This "Dip" into a community that is integrated with one shopping center (Hunterwoods) - one grade school (Hunterwoods) and belong to the same HOA (Reston) should not be part of the map. The other side of Lawyers has a different shopping center, grade school and is not part of the Reston HOA.

Doesn't make sense.

Putting Nelson County with Augusta in District 34 is a serious mistake. It shows a lack of familiarity with the geography and economy of Nelson County. Notice that Nelson’s northwestern border with Augusta is irregular. That is because there is a mountain range there – the Blue Ridge. The northeastern Nelson/Albemarle is straight (except the extreme eastern end), because there are no natural features separating the two counties. The border is an arbitrary one. The Rockfish River forms the easternmost border. I live south of Nellysford and I have a stream behind my house. The water goes into the Rockfish River to flow towards Albemarle, nowhere near Augusta. And, eventually so does all the water from Nelson’s streams. Nelson is geographically southern Albemarle. There is one real commercial connection between Nelson and Albemarle and it is at the most northern tip of Nelson - that is Route 250. To get there, commercial vehicles must go through Albemarle County (Route 6 is too curvy and narrow for large vehicles). Farther south is Beech Grove Rd. which has curves that severely restrict commercial traffic. Alongside the road the Rockfish River flows toward the Albemarle border. The last cross-border road I know of is Campbell’s Mt. Rd. Think of a twisting, single-laned gravel driveway with two-way traffic on the side of a cliff. On-the-other-hand, the roads connecting Nelson and Albemarle are relatively straight, flat, numerous, and built from commerce. Historically, Nelson was originally part of Albemarle, never Augusta. Nelson is naturally part of District 31. Put it back with 31, not 34.

Doesn't make sense!

This doesn't make sense.

Goochland is far more culturally and economically linked with Richmond than Halifax county. Residents here mostly work and shop in Richmond. We should have a Senate district that reflects this.

Combining Buckingham and Fluvanna (two, rural counties) with Albemarle, Charlottesville and Green (more developed regions) is a recipe for poor representation of the less populated, rural regions. The northern part of this proposed district is very different to the southern portion. This needs to be redrawn.

Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Radford have more in common with Salem and Roanoke than the rural counties we're put with in this map. How is it possible that a non-partisan group came up with such a Republican leaning map in a state that is increasingly Democratic?

As a resident of northern Nelson County, I identify much more closely with Albemarle County and Charlottesville. That is where I go to shop, the library, entertainment, etc., as opposed to crossing the mountain. Aligning Nelson with District 31 would provide much better representation, geographically, commercially, and socially. Thank you!

It is very difficult to fathom how Nelson County could be combined with other far-reaching locales to construct District 34. From Wingina in Nelson County to Hightown, close to the border with West Virginia, it is over 100 miles, a 2.5 hour drive. How can an elected State Senator or Delegate or U.S Representative effectively listen to and serve the people in such a far-flung area who elected them? The geographic distance alone would compromise our representation. We are a 45 minute drive to Charlottesville, which is where we seek medical attention, shop and attend cultural and entertainment events. Our concerns are much more closely aligned with those who live near by rather those who live 2.5 hours away, or those who live across the Blue Ridge Mountains in Augusta County.

Blacksburg and Radford have more in common with Roanoke than the surrounding rural areas. I'd like to see the districts shift to protect, not divide, these communities as much as possible.

Pairing Nelson County with areas in the valley is purely a political manipulation. Nelson in all ways is more closely related as a natural constituency to Albemarle and Charlottesville as has been noted in many comments so I don't need to repeat it all.

How can you consider Montgomery County to be included in a "community of interest" with the other rural counties it has been grouped with in this proposal? We share much more in common with Roanoke and the Roanoke Valley than we will ever have in common with the totally rural areas of Highland, Allegheny and Bath Counties. For decades, a lot of effort has been made to tie the economies and interests of the New River Valley and the Roanoke Valley. Our entire region has benefitted from that work. This proposed senate district would wipe out all that work and leave us as an outlier in the proposed district. I cannot imagine the other rural counties included in this proposed district would say they share anything in common with Montgomery County either. Please consider taking this one back to the drawing board and looking for ways to keep Roanoke and Montgomery County aligned in the senate as we are in every day life.

Blacksburg and Radford have more in common with Roanoke than the surrounding rural areas. I'd like to see the districts shift to protect, not divide, these communities as much as possible.

Combining Buckingham and Fluvanna (two, rural counties) with Albemarle, Charlottesville and Green (more developed regions) is a recipe for poor representation of the less populated, rural regions. The northern part of this proposed district is very different to the southern portion. This needs to be redrawn.

I live in Nelson County, and rarely cross the mountains to the valley. I think having Nelson County have their representatives being in the valley doesn't make sense. We are part of the Blue Ridge Health District, our county is right next to Albemarle and this is where our day-to-day lives are concentrated by-and-large. I was a huge advocate for the non-partisan commission, and hope that the maps reflect how our lives are actually lived. I do not think putting us in the 34th district does that. Thank you.

Montgomery County is entirely distinct from the more rural counties with which it is grouped in this current model. The community here in Montgomery County has far more in common with neighboring Roanoke than with the rural counties located a hundred miles north. It is far more urbanized than any of those counties and, as such, the map this current model delivers is a disservice not only to Montgomery County, but to the rest of the counties included in this district. If this commission is interested in preserving communities of interest, it should consider that there is little, if any, shared community between Montgomery County and Highland County, but a great deal shared between Roanoke and Montgomery County. We have long been well-served by a Senate district which honors this shared community and it would be regionally devastating for this to be ignored.

I have lived in Nelson County for 15 years. I feel that we are more strongly aligned with Albemarle and the city of Charlottesville than Augusta and the western counties with which you have grouped us. We frequent Cville 90% of the time when using healthcare and basic needs. We take advantage of cville for social events as well. I urge you to reconsider and place Nelson in District 31 with Albemarle.

The new District 34 looks very much like the gerrymandered current Districts for the House of Delegates with respect to Nelson County. The Republicans gerrymandered Nelson County by splitting it between two Districts to assure that no Democrat could ever be elected to the House of Delegates. They accomplished this by putting most of Nelson County into the geographic area to the west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Waynesboro and Staunton. The proposed District 34 does exactly the same thing. I have lived in Nelson County for 8 years, and I have known that there will never be an opportunity for my Democratic views to be represented in the House of Delegates. I identify fully with the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, and I do not identify with the areas to the west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. My doctors are in Charlottesville, I do virtually all of my shopping in Charlottesville, I attend cultural events at the University of Virginia and elsewhere in Charlottesville, and I feel much more comfortable with the prevailing mores and sense of community of the general population of Charlottesville. If I am put in the presently proposed District 34, I will feel completely disenfranchised. In fact, I will be completely disenfranchised.

We do not like the redistricting plans and would like to be reconnected to Albemarle/Charlottesville and disconnected from the valley. Nelson county is where we live and Albemarle and Charlottesville is where we go to for medical care and other needs. Joyce B. Gray & Lloyd L. Gray, Sr.

Like with some of the earlier maps, I dislike the fact that this plan splits the Fan and Museum District in Richmond between two districts. They are one community, and it doesn't make sense to me to divide it in this way.

I live in Northern Nelson County. When I have been represented by someone living on the other side of the Blue Ridge Mountains I have felt disenfranchised by gerrymandering. The Appalachian Mountains separate the two sides in most aspects of everyday life. Nelson County is in the same Planning District, Health District, and Library District as Albemarle and Charlottesville. This plan takes Nelson into a different Planning, Health, and Library district on the other side of the mountains. Living in the Northern part of Nelson, I shop, go to public meetings, and have all of my medical service providers in the Charlotesville/Ablemarle area (UVA and Martha Jefferson hospitals). When I have been represented by someone on the other side of the mountain who also does not represent Charlottesville/Albemarle I have not felt represented. I have felt disenfranchised by gerrymandering. I don't know or relate to any of the politicians on the other side of the mountains unless they also represent the Albemarle/Charlottesville area. Sometimes in the Winter it is difficult to drive over the Afton pass which separates Nelson from Augusta. The southern part of Nelson relates to Amherst and Lynchburg. The northern part of Nelson relates to Albemarle and Charlottesville. Neither part relates to the West side of the Blue Ridge in most aspects. Of course, many friendships extend across the mountains but also history has had different names for people living on the other side. Please try again to make a better plan for Nelson County. Please put Nelson in the same district as Albemarle and Charlottesville.

Powhatan County should be linked in a district closer to Richmond, not to the North Carolina border. As a growing exurb of Richmond, Powhatan shares cultural and economic connections to the suburban Richmond area.

I live in Northern Nelson County. When I have been represented by someone living on the other side of the Blue Ridge Mountains I have felt disenfranchised by gerrymandering. The Appalachian Mountains separate the two sides in most aspects of everyday life. Nelson County is in the same Planning District, Health District, and Library District as Albemarle and Charlottesville. This plan takes Nelson into a different Planning, Health, and Library district on the other side of the mountains. Living in the Northern part of Nelson, I shop, go to public meetings, and have all of my medical service providers in the Charlotesville/Ablemarle (UVA and Martha Jefferson hospitals). When I have been represented by someone on the other side of the mountain who also does not represent Charlottesville/Albemarle I have felt unrepresented. I don't know or relate to any of the politicians on the other side of the mountains unless they also represent the Albemarle/Charlottesville area. Sometimes in the Winter it is difficult to drive over the Afton pass which separates Nelson from Augusta. The southern part of Nelson relates to Amherst and Lynchburg. The northern part of Nelson relates to Albemarle and Charlottesville. Neither part relates to the West side of the Blue Ridge in most aspects. Of course, many friendships extend across the mountains but also history has had different names for people living on the other side. Please try again to make a better plan for Nelson County. Put Nelson in the same district as Albemarle and Charlottesville.

It seems very strange for Nelson County to be connected with the counties to the west and over a mountain when Nelson has so many of its connections with Charlottesville and none with those areas of Virginia. Nelson County's health district and planning district are aligned with counties to the north of us as well as Charlottesville. This, plus the fact that many people in the county commute to Charlottesville and Albemarle, creates community of interest that does not exist with the counties and cities to the west.

Putting Nelson County in District 34 is a disservice to the people of Nelson County. Nelsonians need to be represented by Charlottesville - District 31- where they frequent and use its services much more than the Valley and Staunton.

Putting Nelson County in District 34 and not District 31 does not represent the people of Nelson County. We Nelsonians see Charlottesville and Albemarle much more representing us than Staunton and the Valley.

Putting Nelson County in the same district as the Shenandoah Valley makes no sense. Nelson County is more aligned with Albemarle and Charlottesville. That is where many Nelson County residents go for services. Besides, the geography puts Nelson in the same district with Albemarle County and Charlottesville.

Putting Nelson County in the same district as the Shenandoah Valley makes no sense. Nelson County is more aligned with Albemarle and Charlottesville. That is where many Nelson County residents go for services. Besides, the geography puts Nelson in the same district with Albemarle County and Charlottesville.

I have lived in Nelson for 29 years. I believe we have more in common with Albermarle County, than with Augusta. We should not be in this district.

I have lived in Nelson County for 28 years. In terms of our economy, culture, and employment, we are more strongly linked with Albemarle and the city of Charlottesville than Augusta and the western counties with which you have grouped us. I urge you to reconsider and place Nelson in District 31 with Albemarle.

In accordance with the previous comments, it seems that Nelson County aligns more with our northern neighbors. Living on the eastern corner of the county as we do, once we make it out to Route 29, we head north to Charlottesville for services. There would seem little reason to cross the rest of the county and drive over Afton Gap to Waynesboro.

The plan to include Nelson County with those to west of the blue ridge fails to consider that Nelson is more demographically, historically, socially and politically linked with Abelmarle county and specifically the Charlottesville area. The proposed map exacerbates the current gerrymandered district lines and serves no purpose other than highlighting the constitutionally absurdities of gerrymandered efforts to deny citizens the right for fair representations.

This map unnecessarily divides the Glenvar community of Roanoke County. By placing a large portion of Glenvar in the 38th District instead of the 37th with Salem, you have divided the two. Considering the 38th District is overpopulated, why couldn't the two Glenvar be placed in the 37th to unite the community?

This map does not reflect how Campbell County should be represented. Campbell County is more aligned with Bedford, Lynchburg, Amherst in its shared media coverage, highways, access to shopping, school sports and community engagement, etc. It is absurd to move Campbell to another district which would hurt shared values.

It doesn't make sense to align Nelson with the counties on the other side of the mountain. Nelson is clearly geographically separated from these counties. But, more importantly, Nelson is intertwined with Albemarle County through the Jefferson Planning District and the Jefferson Health District. Even the libraries are connected. Nelson residents are connected to Albemarle: they are employed, they do their business, seek health care, send their children to colleges in Albemarle. We go to Albemarle to UVA events, to the movie theatre, dinner. None of us have much contact at all with the counties over the mountain. Nelson should absolutely remain in the district with Albemarle.

The western side of the Blue Ridge is a fur piece from Nelson. I feel more kinship with Charlottesville and Albemarle county for shopping, medical, transportation, entertainment (when we can get back to that). Love the valley, but are concerns are more closely shared with our northern neighbors on the 29 corridor.

It seems very strange for Nelson County to be connected with the counties to the west and over a mountain when Nelson has so many of its connections with Charlottesville and none with those areas of Virginia. Nelson County's health district and planning district are aligned with counties to the north of us as well as Charlottesville. This, plus the fact that many people in the county commute to Charlottesville and Albemarle, creates community of interest that does not exist with the counties and cities to the west.

As has been pointed out in all of the comments I have seen thus far, Nelson County has much more in common with Albemarle Co. and Charlottesville than in counties beyond the mountains to the west of us. Please reconsider placing Nelson Co. in District 34. We belong in District 31 which provides our news outlets, contains our health and planning districts, and is the location of over half of our jobs. Thank you.

As has been pointed out in all of the comments I have seen thus far, Nelson County has much more in common with Albemarle Co. and Charlottesville than in counties beyond the mountains to the west of us. Please reconsider placing Nelson Co. in District 34. We belong in District 31 which provides our news outlets, contains our health and planning districts, and is the location of over half of our jobs. Thank you.

Nelson belongs in District 31 along with Albemarle and the other neighboring counties with which we are most closely connected. I concur with all the previous comments detailing why this is so. Please reconsider this designation!

Nelson County is not in geographically separated by the Blue Ridge and more closely connected to Albemarle and should remain in that district.

Nelson County was created out of Albemarle County in the early 1800s, and belongs with Albemarle County, Charlottesville, and the route 29 north corridor. There is no natural boundary between them as there is between them and the counties of the Shenandoah Valley. Nelson's vibrant tourist economy is fed mainly from areas east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nelson residents utilize Charlottesville's Amtrak lines for rail transportation and Charlottesville's Albemarle County Airport for air transportation. They shop in Charlottesville and look to Charlottesville for cultural and recreation activities, health care and employment. In short, Charlottesville is the hub of Nelson County.

Nelson County does not fit with the Shenandoah Valley. It is much more connected to Albemarle County. We truly have little in common with Augusta County and four there west and north. Please reconsider.

I am concerned that this disenfranchises eighty thousand rural Black Virginians. I was expecting a district where they would at least have a chance to elect a candidate of heir choice.

Nelson County should be with Albemarle/Charlottesville. Nelson County residents go to Charlottesville for business, recreation, etc. We are more aligned with this area, and not the others.

Living in northern Nelson County, I have no connection to the counties west of the Blue Ridge. Like many folks in northern Nelson, all of my business, shopping, health care, and connections are in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Also, this map makes our African American community a very tiny minority.

Overall, the map is a big improvement since 2011. District 32 still feels very forced. District 32 is not compact. District has two halves that meet at a fairly narrow point near Farmville. Halifax County is very far away from Goochland County, but has been placed in the same district. Aren't counties like Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Nottoway, and Brunswick more related to the south half of this district than counties like Cumberland, Amelia, Powhattan, and Goochland?

I have lived in Nelson County for 28 years. In terms of its economy, culture, and employment, it is more strongly linked with Albemarle and the city of Charlottesville than Augusta and the western counties with which you have grouped it. I urge you to reconsider and place Nelson in District 31 with Albemarle. Our vibrant, successful agricultural tourism industry links us with Albemarle and Charlottesville also.

I believe this split in our District will be causing more difficulties in our County Government. No one in this county is affiliated with the Shenandoah Region or August County. Of all neighboring districts we are aligned with Western Albemarle and Afton as a Post Office in the North District actually serves Albemarle addresses and residences. How is not part of our community? What is going on here? Please review this and correct our district to be united in Community.

Nelson County has been wrongfully combined with the Valley. There is a mountain range between, different weather, different cultures. This is an attempt to further dilute the rich, diverse heritage of Nelson and reduce its political input. Nelson more properly should be included with Albemarle citizenry, but definitely does NOT belong as part of the Shenandoah Valley!

I deeply appreciate the hard work going into this thorny challenge and the complexity of sorting it out. However, Nelson county is more well-aligned with Charlottesville and Albemarle county than with our neighbors on the other side of the Blue Ridge. In many ways, Nelson operates as a bedroom community for people who work in Charlottesville but live and play in the country. Our local health care satellites have their main facilities in Charlottesville. We share the main thoroughfare's on Rt 151 and Hwy 29 where the traffic flows back and forth to services and events daily. Even the Thomas Jefferson Planning Commission encompasses both locales. We love our neighbors to the west no less but we are separated both physically by the mountains and practically in our daily lives in ways that align us more naturally with our active partners to the north.

I deeply appreciate the hard work going into this thorny challenge and the complexity of sorting it out. However, Nelson county is more well-aligned with Charlottesville and Albemarle county than with our neighbors on the other side of the Blue Ridge. In many ways, Nelson operates as a bedroom community for people who work in Charlottesville but live and play in the country. Our local health care satellites have their main facilities in Charlottesville. We share the main thoroughfare's on Rt 151 and Hwy 29 where the traffic flows back and forth to services and events daily. Even the Thomas Jefferson Planning Commission encompasses both locales. We love our neighbors to the west no less but we are separated both physically by the mountains and practically in our daily lives in ways that align us more naturally with our active partners to the north.

Nelson County has a far greater community of interest with Charlotttesville and Albemarle County than it does with counties and cities over the mountains to the west. Our media outlets, print and electronic, are in Charlottesville and Lynchburg, not in Staunton or Waynesboro or Harrisonburg. Our planning district and health district are to our north and east, not to the west. Two-thirds of Nelson's workforce commutes out of the county, mostly to Charlottesville and Albemarle. In the newly drawn 34th district, Nelson would be a political orphan with little connection to the rest of the district. Very few people here would be aware of issues that the western part of the 34th District will be facing and those in the west would have little knowledge of Nelson's circumstances. I urge the commission to re-think this version of the map and do the right thing by connecting Nelson with its historical community partners. Thank you.

As has been pointed out Nelson County is more physically, economically and historically connected to Charlottesville and Albemarle county than we are to the counties over the mountains. Please reconsider this flawed arrangement

Hattontown should not be separated from Herndon proper and Reston. Hattontown is part of the silver line corridor and this map fails to reflect that.

Nelson County should remain united with Charlottesville and Abelmarle and not placed into Senate District 34. Our needs and perspectives align with those of our northern neighbors and will not be addressed if we are included in this district. This will ensure we will not be adequately represented.

District 10: Lake Ridge needs to be included with Woodbridge/DaleCity/Dumfries/Triangle. All eastern Prince William commuter areas. We could easily lose Nokesville and Bristow to even out the numbers. Both of them are primarily rural, little in common with eastern end.

Overall, this map is a huge improvement to our current Senate districts, and I appreciate your efforts to keep cities intact. However, please consider the surrounding areas of a city for your boundaries. For example, I have a Fredericksburg address and am impacted by all Fredericksburg concerns but have been lumped into the 15th District. Please use all zip codes associated with the Fredericksburg address to draw District #14. (Zip codes for the Fredericksburg address 22407, 22408, 22405 and 22406. ) Thank you for your consideration.

I strongly dislike the new proposal to place Nelson County apart from the Charlottesville Region. Many of our residents get their medical care through UVA facilities, shop and work there.

This map has where I live in Shipman lumped in with Staunton and areas on the other side of the Blue Ridge. I don't associate with those areas at all. I look to Charlottesville for shopping, health care, and culture and would rather be in that district (as was) than be in a district that I have no affinity with. The Blue Ridge is a natural barrier that should be respected.

Nelson County should be included in the district with Charlottesville/Albemarle. They are a major source of Nelson's employment. We use their healthcare facilities, university and college. We shop there. Even Nelson County weather has more in common with Charlottesville/Albemarle. PLEASE fix this.

Nelson County is currently in Senate District 25, which includes many jurisdictions west of the Blue Ridge, although the bulk of the District's population, and its economic center is east of the Blue Ridge. For example, the wine industry has a large presence in Nelson County and works closely with wineries in Albemarle County, both now represented by the same Senator. As others have noted, the Blue Ridge is more than a geographic barrier as it also marks media, entertainment, public health and other divisions.

By the "earlier Senate map," I mean B3 Statewide SD which is much better at keeping the Fredericksburg "community of interest" together. Instead of King George County, please include the northern area of Spotsylvania County which is right up against the City and shares our many transportation and economic needs.

Nelson County is much more aligned with Charlottesville and Albemarle County than the counties across the mountains. Many Nelson residents work, shop, associate with religious/spiritual congregations and find entertainment in Charlottesville. For some, a trip to Charlottesville is a daily occurrence. Travel is a two-way street – much of the tourism (which is a major economic driver for Nelson County) originates in the Charlottesville/Albemarle region. We are also part of regional systems that include the Charlottesville/Albemarle area i.e., a regional jail system, a planning district, a library system, a social service system, a tourism bureau, and many social and cultural organizations. To separate us politically from the area in which we are most closely aligned diminishes or negates the value of our vote.

Placing Nelson County in District 34 makes no sense. The Blue Ridge Mts physically separate us from the rest of this district. We are closely connected to Albermarle and Charlottesville through the Blue Ridge Health District and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. Our doctors, health facilities and UVA medical school are in Albemarle County. Many Nelson County residents work, shop and are connected to activities in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Please do not gerrymander Nelson County into District 34. We have very little in common with many of those areas.

Thank you for not dividing Fredericksburg! That said, the B3 map better reflects the economic community of interest that extends outward from our City. Excluding northern Spotsylvania, especially the area along the Rt 1 and Rt 3 corridors, excludes people whose addresses are 'Fredericksburg'. I realize you're juggling many priorities, but hope you can improve our area of the state map as commenters have already noted. Thank you!

Nelson County residents would be better served if they were joined with Albemarle and Charlottesville. Many of the residents of Nelson work, shop and use the healthcare system in Charlottesville having little to do with the Shenandoah area. Please place Nelson in the Abemarle and Charlottesville voting district.

I strongly prefer the senate district presented in A3 for the Charlottesville region. It makes more sense geographically and keeps a regional COI together.

While Staunton and Waynesboro are lovely communities, Nelson and Augusta County are divided by more than a mountain. Our relationship with Albemarle County, Charlottesville and the University of Virginia Hospital System is a mainstay to Nelson County. We are quite happy with this relationship. To change it is simply a political move by those who wish to jerrymander the democratic process.

Nelson County should be grouped with Albemarle and Charlottesville

The previous B3 map which has Nelson included with Albemarle seems more accurate than including Fluvanna and Buckingham. The overall effect of this map seems skewed to the Right.

The Statewide Senate B3 plan seems much more accurate of a grouping for my area, joining Nelson and the Waynesboro area with Albemarle/Charlottesville. Greene seems like it could be added to that area, as it is here, but adding Buckingham and Fluvanna seems like an attempt to water down the vote. The overall shift of this map seems distorted, especially based on the other comments here. Please revise and stay closer to the B3 version.

the mountain rang that separates us form the Shenandoah Valley does more than provide a physical barrier, it has lead to a huge disparity of thoughts and affiliations. We are fat more untiled with Albemarle and Charlottesville. Once again we have been "gerrymandered."

As was the case with the B3 senate map, the inclusion of Richmond's East End in this version of the map goes against the state code's redistricting criteria (Code § 24.2-304.04 - Section 6) which requires the district to be contiguous by more than water connections. While I still disagree with the alignment of the district it would definitely need to include more area to the west of Church Hill to capture at least one of the bridges crossing the James.

Northern Western Branch belongs with the rest of Chesapeake.

Nelson County should be included in the district with Charlottesville/Albemarle. They are a major source of employment. We use their doctors, university and college, stores, etc. Even our weather has more in common. PLEASE fix this.

There is no reason for western Henrico to be included with Goochland in district 30. There is no cultural or economic reason to merge these populations into one district unless your aim is to spread blue voters out.

This effort by the commission staff to blend the earlier maps does not work for Nelson County because this rural agrotourism area is separated from Albemarle County and Charlottesville by being placed in Senate District 34 with the highly developed counties in Shenandoah Valley. Development in Nelson County should be along the Rt 29 corridor, which runs up into Charlottesville. Nelson County does not have economic interests in common with counties on the other side of the Blue Ridge.

Nelson County has much more in common with Albemarle county than Augusta county

Nelson County has always been associated with Albemarle county and should be so in the Senate map

Nelson Co is strongly associated with Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Please don’t lump us in with the counties to the west!!!!!

To have Nelson County in district 34 is absolutely ridiculous. The Blue Ridge Mountains are a natural barrier separating our county (Nelson) from the Shenandoah Valley. As a resident of Nelson, I commute regularly to Charlottesville and Albemarle County. I may go over in the Valley once a year why should our county be lumped in with an area I have nothing in common with and thus have a representative that will cater to the Shenandoah Valley where there are more people and this more vote. Nelson County will automatically be marginalized and my vote will be meaningless.

Who the hell drew this map .... and placed us again ACROSS the Blue Ridge with counties that we share little with. Please don't send us to be with Amherst and Campbell but do try to put us to the north with counties with which we share more includine Jaunt, special districts, hospitals, etc.

The alignment lacks cohesiveness with Albemarle County and Charlottesville--Nelson generally has very little relationship with the Shenandoah Valley-- even the weather is different! But Nelson County needs to be contiguous with Albemarle County and Charlottesville city. Our needs are similar to this side of the Blue Ridge, not Rockbridge or Augusta Counties.

Back in August 2021, several residents of Williamsburg and James City County spoke at a public hearing and identified the city and James City County as comprising their Community of Interest. Yet this map places the city of Williamsburg with Newport News in District 17 rather than District 27 (James City County). Please review public testimony.

While the new districts appear to be compact and contiguous, they do not always follow area commonalities. Nelson County has more in common with Area 31 than with the areas west of the Blue Ridge. The UVA and Martha Jefferson Hospital systems are major employers and economic drivers of our region. Please group Nelson County with our neighbors to the north rather than those with whom we seldom interact.

Nelson County is connected to Albemarle and Charlottesville not Shenandoah. Many of us work in Charlottesville, shop there, use the UVA Hospital. We do not have much to do with the valley.

The placement of Nelson Co. is a gross violation of the principal of "communities of interest". People who live in Nelson Co. work and shop in Charlottesville. They use the Charlottesville airport and catch Amtrak trains in Charlottesville. There is no real natural boundary between Nelson Co. and Albemarle Co. (which contains Charlottesville). US Rt. 29 immediately connects Nelson Co. to Albemarle Co. and Charlottesville. The counties and towns with which Nelson Co. has been placed are separated from Nelson Co. by the Blue Ridge Mountains. I can see no conceivable basis by which Nelson should be connected to these municipalities. I fear this was done to make it easier for the commission to meet its equal population goals and was done so since it was assumed that Nelson's small population would not be expected to object vociferously to the placement. Please let me assure you that if you speak to residents of Nelson Co. you will hear the same comments I have made and presented just as strongly. Please correct this misplacement. I know that the commission has a very demanding job and it must seem that people are not grateful for your efforts. I also understand that you cannot possibly have deep knowledge about all of the communities in the Commonwealth. I firmly believe that your placement of Nelson Co. is a serious error that is correctable. Thank you.

Combining us Nelson Co residents with the Shenandoah Valley counties makes NO SENSE! We work and do business in Charlottesville/Albemarle Co, and we are linked together by the Jefferson Health and Planning districts. Conversely, we have no connection whatsoever with the counties you lumped us in with in this 34th district. This is a Republican gerrymander for sure, and it must be rejected!

This map has where I live in Shipman lumped in with Staunton and areas on the other side of the Blue Ridge. I don't associate with those areas at all. I look to Charlottesville for shopping and culture and would rather be in that district (as was) than be in a district that I have no affinity with. The Blue Ridge is a natural barrier that should be respected.

Nelson County does NOT belong in District 34. There is an entire mountain range between the Valley and its interests and Nelson County and its concerns. To separate Nelson from a connection with Albemarle and/or Charlottesville environs both ignores and mischaracterizes its diverse culture and dilutes its political influence improperly.

Nelson Co belongs with Charlottesville and Albemarle Co. and sticking Nelson residents in with the Shenandoah Valley counties makes no sense AT ALL. We Nelson residents work and shop in Charlottesivlle/Albemarle Co, and we're connected through the Jefferson Planning and Health Districts. Collapsing us in with those Shenandoah Valley counties is a solid gerrymander for Republicans, and this must be rejected!

This effort by the commission staff to blend the earlier maps does not work for Nelson County because this rural agrotourism area is separated from Albemarle County and Charlottesville by being placed in Senate District 34 with the highly developed counties in Shenandoah Valley. Development in Nelson County should be along the Rt 29 corridor, which runs up into Charlottesville. Nelson County does not have economic interests in common with counties on the other side of the Blue Ridge.

nelson county should be aligned more with Albemarle County rather than the Shenandoah Valley. And why are we given only two days to react. Thank you.

This map has where I live in Shipman lumped in with Staunton and areas on the other side of the Blue Ridge. I don't associate with those areas at all. I look to Charlottesville for shopping and culture and would rather be in that district (as was) than be in a district that I have no affinity with. The Blue Ridge is a natural barrier that should be respected.

I do not think cutting out this portion of Enon is a good idea. What was the reasoning for this portion of Enon to be cut out of the 29th district and placed into the 26th district? It would make much more sense to have this area included in the 29th, and use Route 10 and 295 (since they are major roads) as the border lines. It looks like the commission is being split as opposed to keeping neighborhoods in tact.

Placing Nelson County in a District with others counties which are over the mountains and in the Shenandoah Valley makes no sense. Nelson should be in a District with Albemarle and Charlottesville because of geographic constraints as well as commonality of issues.

Placing Nelson County in a District with others counties which are over the mountains and in the Shenandoah Valley makes no sense. Nelson should be in a District with Albemarle and Charlottesville because of geographic constraints as well as commonality of issues.

The current map disconnects Nelson County from Albemarle and Charlottesville, and connects it to many counties in the Shenandoah Valley. Nelson is part of the Jefferson Planning District, and it’s part of the Jefferson Health District. Nelson is not at all connected to the many counties this map has us tied to in the Shenandoah Valley. Please reconnect us with our natural partners in Albemarle.

I am very disappointed to see Nelson County disconnected from Albemarle and connected to counties in the Shenandoah Valley. Nelson is part of the Thomas Jefferson planning district,and we are part of the Thomas Jefferson Health district. We have no connections to the many counties in the Valley which this map has us connected with. Please consider rectifying this.

Blacksburg has more in common with Roanoke than the rural counties to the north. The Virginia Tech Blacksburg campus and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Center are major employers and economic drivers of the region. It would make more sense to group Blacksburg and Radford with Roanoke than with surrounding rural areas.

I think the latest Senate map that combines combines Stafford County, Fredericksburg and King George County into a new district 14 is not the best choice for the Commission to make. King George County should not be included in this district because it has little commonality with the other two jurisdictions. It does not have a population that routinely commutes to the Washington, DC area on I-95, whereas most of Stafford and Fredericksburg do so. King George County also does not share many of the community resources of the the region, constituting a broad community of interest, along with large parts of Spotsylvania County. Unlike King George County, the suburban areas of Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties share a regional library system with Fredericksburg, along with many historical sites and resources and, in addition, according to the 2020 Census, a growing and more diverse population in contrast to King George County. I think the earlier map, B-3, which not only includes the city of Fredericksburg, but large parts of both Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, is far preferable . However, even the B-3 map could be much improved if its boundaries were extended somewhat further south into contiguous areas of Spotsylvania County and north into contiguous areas of Stafford County. By leaving out areas such as Chancellorsville and Cosners Corners in Spotsylvania County and Aquia Harbor in Stafford County -- areas which have much more in common with the suburban communities of nearby neighborhoods that are already included in the B-3 map -- allows both of those counties to be unnecessarily divided and be puts urbanizing areas into a different district that is primarily rural. All of those neighborhoods utilize shopping, dining, employment and recreational activities in Fredericksburg and other parts of their growing and urbanized areas of their respective counties. In addition, they have seen growing diversity in the last ten years in their populations and are expected to continue to grow more diverse, similar to the neighborhoods in the urbanizing areas of their respective Spotsylvania and Stafford counties neighborhoods just a mile or two away. I realize that adding more areas to the B-3 map would exceed the 2% population deviation, but I understand that the Commission can go above 2% where there are good reasons to do so. I hope that you will expand the district to include all of Fredericksburg and additional areas of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties. Thank you for your consideration.

This map needs to be more in alignment with an earlier Senate draft (B3) that includes key portions of Spotsylvania and Stafford. These areas share a close multi-level identity, including that many residents in Stafford and Spotsylvania all use a FREDERICSKBURG mailing address DESPITE different zip codes. None in King George do. Specifically, the City of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford share 1) a cultural heritage and historical identity, as illustrated by the holdings and story of the NPS Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, 2) a shared watershed and associated resources such as water and sewer facilities along the tributaries of the Rappahannock River Basin, 3) the Central Rappahannock Regional Library system, 4) location along the widening I-95 corridor, 4) the Northeastern Virginia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region, and; 5) an economic identity and center with the historic City of Fredericksburg. King George County, while still in the same George Washington Planning District, does not have nearly the overlap of shared identity, practical, and political interplay that the other 3 jurisdictions have had for a very long time. These 3 (City of Fredericksburg, and meaningful adjacent portions Spotsylvania, and Stafford) need to be combined into the same district as a community of interest--much as shown in Map #103, District 13 on the B3 Statewide SD map.

James City County residents have a Williamsburg address and belong together. We frequent their businesses and those in Upper York County and none in Seaford, Poquoson, and South Hampton Roads.

There is no reason for Fredericksburg and Stafford to be combined with King George. The communities which surround Fredericksburg directly should be kept together similar to the earlier Senate map.

This map is a slight Republican gerrymander. In the 2017 Gubernatorial election, it would have been 21D-19R even though Northam won by 9%. If partisan proportionality is primarily used to define a "fair" map, then this map should have 1 more dem-leaning district in either Richmond or Hampton Roads to be more fair. Also, the Roanoke district should potentially be revisited as well.

This is a GOP gerrymander. I urger the Democratic commissions to both reject this map, and hire a new map drawer. The commission should make it clear it is unacceptable on Monday. 20 Trump districts in a Blue state. My own Democratic-leaning Richmond suburb neighborhood gets packed in to District 30 that Trump won in 2016, compared to the existing SD-12 that Clinton carried. I completely oppose this map. It is unacceptable in a State Biden won by 10 points. This i

Thank you for your hard work in fulfilling Tommy Norment's wildest dream. Shame on you. Whoever decided to link Norfolk with Hampton has never tried to navigate the HRBT.

Once again Norfolk is sliced and diced 3 ways to Sunday. Also. how a state that went 55% to Biden ends up with 20 trump districts is extra special voodoo.

This map is complete garbage. I didn't trust you to do the right thing and you are vastly exceeding my expectations.

I think this map is close to meeting partisan fairness requirements but doesn't quite get there. Using 2016 data, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton would each have won 20 districts. But Ms. Clinton got 52.8% of the two-party vote share. Now to be fair, the map has 19 pretty solid Democratic districts and only 15 pretty solid Republican districts. However, I think you should adjust some of the "battleground districts" you have drawn to make them more favorable to Democrats in order to properly reflect the politics of the state and to meet the state constitution's partisan fairness requirements.

This map breaks up the Asian population in eastern Loudon / western Fairfax across multiple districts. Previous maps had created a potential Asian opportunity district, which I appreciated. I would like to see that done with these maps

It would make more sense for George Mason University and the city of Fairfax to be in one district in my opinion. Those areas are linked and GMU students hang out in Fairfax City a lot.

It makes more sense to connect the New River Valley localities of Radford and Blacksburg with Salem and Roanoke City. These localities have more in common that the current District 37. While I understand the logic of trying to keep all of Roanoke together, they do not all have the same interests even though they are closer on a map. In addition, in District 38, Radford and Blacksburg as grouped together with far away communities that they have little in common with.

I believe it makes more sense for King George County to be included in District 16. Fredericksburg and Stafford have more in common with Dumfries or Northern Spotsylvania County in that the all have to deal with I-95 traffic issues.

It is possible to create an African-American majority district solely based on Hampton and Newport News without having to cross into Norfolk. By doing this, the African-American opportunity districts in Hampton Roads can go from plurality to majority African-American. Alternatively, instead of 3 African-American opportunity districts in Hampton Roads, it is possible to create 1 additional African-American opportunity district if it is stretched into Southside. Either way, there should only be one district based in Hampton and Newport News without having to go into Norfolk. I have attached a screen capture of the map I submitted with this information.

This district does not make sense because it dilutes African-American voting strength. It is possible to turn it into an African-American plurality district to create 6 total African-American opportunity districts. However, if the Commission wishes to only have five African-American opportunity districts, some of the African-American areas in District 25 should be swapped with White areas of District 24 so that District 24 goes from plurality to majority African-American.