In 1930, Arlington County ditched its Board of Supervisors and its magisterial districts in favor of a system that elected five at-large members countywide.
Delegate Patrick Hope is a Democrat who represents modern-day Arlington, and he says that was a decision that was based in Jim Crow racism.
"It was used as a tool to keep and oppress African Americans from voting for a candidate of their choice, and that was by design," Hope says. "This wasn't a surprise. People knew exactly what they were doing in 1930. Now we are taking a look at these policies and figuring out do they still serve us in the same way."
Virginia Beach is also taking a look at how they organize their government, questioning whether the local government should have members that represent districts or an at-large system. Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler has a charter change she says would increase representation.
"We want to have districts and wards where the people in that district vote for them. We don't want the at-large voting. So it's not really about the districts and the residency basis. It's more about who votes," Convirs-Fowler says.
She had a similar bill that was vetoed last year by Governor Glenn Youngkin, who will have the final say on how voters Virginia Beach and Arlington elect their local governments.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
