The below guest opinion piece is authored by MCPO Susan Hippen (U.S. Navy, ret.). Susan is an outspoken advocate for both Democrats and the military-connected community. She currently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and chairs the Virginia Democratic Party’s Veterans and Military Families Caucus.
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As we continue toward the General Election in November, I am proud to stand with the Virginia Democrats’ Veterans and Military Families Caucus and our army of tireless volunteers in raising awareness of an important referendum vote happening in less than a month.
We understand sacrifice. But we know what it means when leadership fails. We’ve seen what happens when promises are broken, funding is cut, and veterans get short-changed.
The chaos in Washington isn’t just political – it has real impacts on veterans and military families. For instance, we see unacceptable cuts to VA services, instability for veterans in federal jobs, random cuts to the military complex that generate uncertainty and question military readiness. That chaos and lack of professionalism rattles military communities.
The instability and aggressive military actions we are witnessing today — the growing tensions that could pull our nation into conflicts across the globe — we know exactly what that means.
Right now, our leadership is unchecked. But their families are safe at home. It is OUR families who carry the burden of those decisions. We know because we have lived it. We know the cost of those decisions. What we are witnessing is unchecked and reckless.
THAT is why our votes here in Virginia matter.
We have a president telling states to redraw congressional districts, mid-decade, to intentionally skew the mid-term elections so that his decisions remain unchecked. Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Utah have all redrawn their districts, without voter input, to tilt elections to the Republican Party.
California asked voters for permission to redraw their districts to counter those efforts, and they were successful in doing so.
Virginia is now asking voters for the same permission. To balance the scales in the coming mid-term election. To protect democracy. Virginians living or serving abroad have a unique opportunity to participate in this democratic process by casting your ballots in time for the April 21, 2026 referendum deadline.
You see, protecting democracy isn’t separate from supporting veterans — it is directly connected.
We must return to a government with the checks and balances written in the Constitution. We must keep our executive branch accountable to our citizens.
Voting YES on the Temporary Redistricting Referendum is about protecting those checks and balances for accountability.
It is about making sure NO ONE can rig the system, silence voters, or take power without earning it. It is about ensuring that the voices of veterans — and all Virginians — are heard.
So make your voting plan. Vote early. Remind other Virginia UOCAVA voters of this important issue and to vote YES.
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U.S. citizens living abroad, both civilian and military, are highly encouraged to check your voter registration status and request your ballot for any upcoming elections in your home voting state that you are eligible to vote in.
The Global VMF Caucus has a membership of over 1,400 members located in dozens of countries and proudly consists of veterans, military family members, Department of Defense civilians, other national security professionals, and strong allies of veterans and military family causes.
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