The America First Policy Institute launched an investigation of Virginia’s redistricting amendment vote on Thursday, seeking records from election officials and a major school district amid allegations of irregularities and improper influence.
The effort follows a Virginia court blocking the certification of the amendment results due to rule violations, adding uncertainty to the state’s redistricting process.
The conservative group, America First Policy Institute (AFPI), stated its legal team has filed public records requests with several Virginia counties for documents related to mail-in ballot administration.
The group is requesting communications detailing how ballot applications were processed, distributed, accepted, and stored, as well as the guidance election officials followed.
“These are public records,” the organization said. “Virginia law requires they be produced. If the process was fair, these records will show it.”
AFPI indicated that the materials would help determine whether the election was conducted in accordance with legal requirements.
The group is also seeking records from Fairfax County Public Schools related to civics instruction prior to the vote.
AFPI cited complaints from parents alleging that teachers made politically charged remarks and encouraged students to influence their parents’ voting decisions on the redistricting measure.
The request asks for lesson plans, materials, and communications that could indicate whether instruction complied with laws and district policies governing political neutrality in public education.
AFPI also sent a letter to the Fairfax County school superintendent urging an internal review of the allegations. The group described the reports as “highly concerning” and stated that verified misconduct should result in consequences.
“The questions we’re asking aren’t complicated,” said Leigh Ann O’Neill, AFPI’s chief legal affairs officer.
“Was the election conducted according to state and federal law? Did teachers improperly turn students into a private grassroots army? And, if so, what will the school district do about it?” she added.
The court’s decision to block certification of the amendment results was based on rule violations, though details of the ruling were not immediately clear.
State officials have not publicly commented on either the court action or AFPI’s investigation.
The developments add a new layer of scrutiny to Virginia’s redistricting process, which has faced legal and political challenges in recent years.
