A Virginia judge voided the state’s redistricting referendum on 22 April, one day after more than three million voters approved it by a 51.5% to 48.5% margin.
Why it matters
The ruling freezes a map that would have shifted up to four US House seats toward Democrats, making it one of the most consequential redistricting battles ahead of the 2026 midterms. Virginia’s primaries are weeks away, and candidates do not know which districts they are running in.
The ruling
Judge Jack Hurley of Tazewell County Circuit Court declared all votes for and against the referendum “ineffective.” He found the legislature violated the state constitution’s 90-day public notice requirement for constitutional amendments.
Hurley also called the ballot question “flagrantly misleading,” saying voters were not told the amendment would hand mapmaking power from an independent bipartisan commission to the legislature.
The maps at stake
The new congressional map, signed by Governor Abigail Spanberger in February, gave Democrats an electoral advantage in 10 of 11 House seats. Under the current commission-drawn map, the delegation splits six seats for Democrats and five for Republicans.
Republicans argued the new map was one of the most extreme partisan gerrymanders of the 2026 cycle. Democrats said the commission map itself under-represented the state’s shifting demographics.
What happens next
Attorney General Jay Jones filed an immediate appeal. The Virginia Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Monday, 28 April. The court’s decision will determine whether the voter-approved maps or the commission maps govern the November elections.
With filing deadlines approaching, a swift resolution is expected. If the Supreme Court upholds the block, the existing commission districts remain in place for 2026.