Providence Precinct Adjustments Proposed Based On Redistricting

FAIRFAX, VA — Changes or adjustments to 154 voting precincts in Fairfax County will be considered based on redistricting impacts.

In December, the Virginia Supreme Court approved redrawn state legislative and congressional districts that will take effect with the next elections. Those redrawn districts created split precincts in Fairfax County. Per Virginia law, precincts must be entirely in a magisterial district, state senate district, delegate district and congressional district. There are 54 precincts split by redistricting, and the county is proposing changes to another 100 to remedy split precincts.

The proposed changes will eliminate split precincts before the June 21 primary, if held. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors set a public hearing on the precinct changes for March 8.

The county estimates 29,000 voters, or less than 4 percent of registered Fairfax County voters, would be impacted by the proposed changes. Approximately 87,000 voters impacted by redistricting would be kept at the same polling place under the proposal.

If the changes are adopted, a review from the Virginia attorney general will follow to determine if the changes follow the Virginia voting rights act. Fairfax County's Office of Elections would notify affected voters by mail. The county anticipates a one-time cost of $501,840 in 2022 and annual cost of $54,400 to implement the precinct adjustments.

There are several changes proposed in the Providence District:

The 709 Mosby #1 Precinct, which is located on the northern border of the City of Fairfax, was split in two by redistricting. The county is proposing to create two precincts — 709 Mosby #1 (2,794 voters) and 737 Mosby #2 (1,202 voters) — that will both continue to vote at Mosaic Elementary.

County-level redistricting split the 717 Woodburn Precinct, leaving the western portion outside the Capital Beltway and in the Providence District. The county seeks to create the new 736 Bedford Precinct (780 voters) and establish a polling place at Luther Jackson Middle School.

With the 721 Merrifield Precinct split due to redistricting, the county seeks to maintain the western part of that precinct as 721 Merrifield (4,833 voters), with its voting place still at Luther Jackson Middle School. The county also proposes combining the eastern part of 721 Merrifield (253 voters) into the 723 Gallows East (2,426), which will keep its polling place at the Gatehouse Administration Building.

The full precinct changes proposal is available in the Board of Supervisors agenda starting at page 47.