LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR) — If you live on one side of Rockbridge Avenue in Lynchburg, you’re represented by Delegate Wendell Walker, as are the residents of Thaxton. Your neighbor across the street, on the other hand, is represented by Delegate Kathy Byron, who also represents the interests of people in Burnt Chimney.

The two Republican delegates share Lynchburg’s relatively more liberal population between them.

The 2020 census is approaching, and afterwards, all 50 states will re-draw their local and congressional districts. Before the 2010 Census, most Lynchburg residents were in the same House and Senate districts, but the count changed that.

Now, the city is split into multiple House and Senate districts. With redistricting about to take place again, local party leaders on both sides of the aisle are wondering what will happen to Lynchburg’s districts, and whether the city will be unified once again.

Former delegate candidate Jennifer Woofter saw the impact the split had in November.

“Over all, I got in the very low 30s,” she said of her share of the votes in the 22nd District, “but in the city of Lynchburg precincts, I got 68% of the vote, which I think speaks to the quite diverse nature of the district.”

Katie Webb Cyphert heads up the Lynchburg Democratic Committee and says it’s about more than election results.

“When you look at the city, we have areas where one side of the street is in one Senate district, and the other side of the street is in a different Senate district. It literally divides neighborhoods and divides our community.”

She says Lynchburg is a community sharing common interests and needs to be in one district.

Senator Mark Peake, who represents part of Lynchburg, says there’s more than one way to evaluate common interest.

“The inner city of Lynchburg might have more in common, in common interest with Madison Heights,” he said. “Plus, they’re very close to Madison Heights, more so than how they are out with the portion out by Liberty University or out by Timberlake, which adjoins Campbell County.”

They do agree on one thing: getting rid of partisan redistricting.

“At some point it just has to stop,” said Peake. “Just like the Hatfields and McCoys, either you kill everybody, or hopefully memories fade.”

“I think it is important,” said Cyphert, “long-term, for Virginia to come up with better redistricting and to potentially put it in the hands of an independent commission. The devil’s going to be in the details. That commission is going to need to be charged with keeping communities of interest together.”

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