BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. — Nearly 100 people gathered Saturday at Lord Botetourt High School for a rally organized by Republicans concerned about a proposed redistricting referendum they say could weaken rural representation.
Supporters at the event in Botetourt County said changes to congressional district lines could shift political influence away from rural communities and toward larger, more populated urban areas.
Republican Congressman Ben Cline spoke at the rally, urging residents to oppose the referendum when they head to the polls April 21.
“Botetourt County is where this referendum is going to either pass or fail,” Cline said. “Rural Virginia needs to be motivated and educated about this important issue and turn out to vote either before or on April 21 against this referendum.”
Cline said redistricting decisions can affect how communities are represented for years and argued that smaller communities risk losing influence when district boundaries are changed.
Attendees echoed those concerns.
“Our elected officials say they should represent Virginia and not the interests in Washington,” said attendee Maynard Keller.
Others said the event was also about encouraging civic engagement at a time when political divisions remain high.
“There’s so much division in the country,” said Mark Tyson, another attendee. “It seems like it’s just getting further and further divided rather than coming together. Hopefully these kinds of proceedings will help.”
Supporters said they hope rallies like Saturday’s event will encourage residents across rural Virginia to stay involved in discussions about how district lines are drawn and how those decisions affect representation.
Some participants also said they believe policymakers in Richmond are increasingly disconnected from rural communities.
Organizers described the rally as part of a broader effort to educate voters about the referendum and encourage participation in the upcoming vote.