Local Redistricting in Loudoun County

Project Update: Board Adopts New Precinct Boundaries and Polling Places 

  • As part of the next phase in the local redistricting process, the Board of Supervisors on January 17, 2023, adopted amendments to the Codified Ordinances of Loudoun County, Chapter 209, Voting Precincts and Polling Places, which revises the county’s precinct boundaries and polling places.
  • The amendments adjust some existing precincts to align with the new state and local election district boundaries, create new precincts due to an increased number of registered voters in some existing precincts, and identify new polling places for some of redrawn or newly created precincts. 
  • Following Board action on the ordinance amendments, an additional certificate of no objection and review by the Attorney General’s Office is required for any polling place changes.
  • Earlier this year, the Virginia Attorney General’s Office certified that it found no reason to object to Loudoun County’s redistricting plan, adopted by the Board of Supervisors on June 7, 2022. The attorney general’s “certification of no objection” means that the county may now implement its new local election districts as adopted by the Board. The certification process is required by state law.

2022 Loudoun County Election Districts (PDF)

Link to image of 2022 Loudoun County Election Districts
  • A special election to fill two vacant school board seats in November 2022 occurred using the existing election districts because the election was scheduled prior to the Board’s adoption of new districts. 
  • The first general election for Board of Supervisors and School Board representatives in the redrawn election districts will be in November 2023 (if a primary election is held in June 2023, the redrawn election districts would be used). Until then, Loudoun County residents will continue to be represented by their current Board of Supervisors and School Board members. Loudoun residents can identify their currently elected representatives here. 
  • The county’s new election districts are the result of a process that was informed by the 2020 census and input from the public. The redrawing of election districts each decade is required by law. The redrawn districts were designed based on input from the Board and members of the public to help maintain districts in which the number of residents is balanced over the next decade. 
  • Based on the 2020 census, the population of each adopted district ranges between 50,468 and 54,881 residents. 
  • The Board previously voted to name one newly redrawn district as the Little River District. The Blue Ridge District name will be retired. The names of the county’s seven other election districts, also redrawn, will remain the same.
  • The adopted election districts adhere to the ten guidelines established by the Board for the county’s local redistricting process:
    • All districts shall have equal representation. 
    • The plan shall comply with the Voting Rights Act. 
    • All districts must be compact and contiguous. 
    • The census shall be the source of data. 
    • Preserve communities of interest. 
    • Create districts with similar interests among communities. 
    • Consider voter convenience and effective election administration. 
    • Use geographical or physical features, especially arterial roadways, for district and precinct boundaries. 
    • Consider all alternative plans presented by interested groups and individuals. 
    • When possible, do not split incorporated towns.
  • The local redistricting process determines which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a district for purposes of electing board members to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and School Board. By making sure districts have approximately the same number of people, redistricting can help to ensure residents have equal representation on the Board of Supervisors and School Board. It also affects for whom residents vote and where they vote, based on how the local electoral boundaries are drawn.

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Process Guidelines

The guidelines for the process, adopted by the Board of Supervisors at its June 21, 2021 meeting, are:

  • All districts shall have equal representation: Districts should be drawn to provide representation in proportion to the population of the district. The "one person-one vote" approach is of paramount consideration. In the past, Loudoun County has used a deviation of plus or minus five percent from the mathematical average as an acceptable level of representation.
  • The plan shall comply with the Voting Rights Act: According to the Voting Rights Act, districts should be drawn in such a way that assures that minority voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and to elect representatives of their choice.
  • All districts must be compact and contiguous: Each district should be a single geographic unit, not composed of separated parts.
  • The census shall be the source of data: Loudoun County must use adjusted U.S. Census Bureau data supplied by the Virginia Division of Legislative Services.
  • Preserve communities of interest: To the maximum extent possible, areas that have readily identifiable communities of interest should not be split. Residential sub-divisions or small villages are examples of communities of interest that should remain intact.
  • Create districts with similar interest among communities: To the extent possible, create districts where the residents have similar issues and concerns as related to land use, development, traffic patterns, etc.
  • Consider voter convenience and effective election administration: Each precinct must have a polling place within or immediately adjacent to it.
  • Use geographical or physical features, especially arterial roadways, for district and precinct boundaries: It is essential that the district and precinct boundaries be easily identifiable. Such features as arterial roadways, stream beds, and riverbeds provide distinctive, identifiable boundaries.
  • Consider all alternative plans presented by interested groups and individuals: Once announced, individual citizens & interest groups should have a 30-day window to submit their suggestions using interactive mapping technology designated by the county for electronic submissions. Individuals or interest groups must live, be an established nonprofit, or have a business located in Loudoun County.
  • When possible, do not split incorporated towns: Loudoun County's incorporated towns should not be divided within the boundaries of any town. It should be possible to maintain all towns intact, except perhaps the Town of Leesburg due to its larger population.

Questions and Answers

What is redistricting?

  • Redistricting is the process of redrawing the boundaries of districts that elect representatives who serve specific geographic areas. This process occurs every 10 years following the United States decennial census. Loudoun County underwent its last local redistricting process in 2011, in which it maintained eight magisterial districts and a chair at-large.
  • By making sure districts have approximately the same number of people, redistricting can help to ensure residents have equal representation on the Board of Supervisors and School Board. It also affects for whom residents vote and where they vote, based on how the electoral boundaries are drawn.

What is happening with redistricting at the state level? Is that a different process?

  • The redistricting process that establishes the congressional and state legislative districts is a separate process from the local redistricting process. It is led by the Virginia Redistricting Commission, a constitutionally created body approved by the voters of Virginia in 2020.

Will this impact the size of Loudoun’s Board of Supervisors?

  • As a result of a 1990 referendum, Loudoun County’s governing body consists of a chair at-large and supervisors elected to represent single-member districts. Currently, the board has eight single-member districts plus a chair at-large, for a total of nine members.
  • At its June 21, 2021 meeting, the board voted to maintain its current nine-member composition.