Supreme Court of Virginia Greenlights Redistricting Referendum

The Supreme Court of Virginia on Friday agreed to allow Democratic lawmakers’ mid-decade redistricting attempt to move forward, announcing it will hear the case on an expedited basis. The court denied Republican lawmakers’ motion to pause a redistricting referendum as the high court deliberates the case.

The order means voters will be able to approve or reject the redistricting amendment in a referendum scheduled for April 21, 2026. The effort would redraw Virginia’s congressional maps, with 10 districts favoring Democrats and one tipped towards Republicans.

Virginia Democrats’ proposed 10-D, 1-R congressional districts map preserves the broad outlines of some existing districts but redistributes how the population is grouped across much of the state. (Photo courtesy Virginia Legislative Information System)

Almost immediately after the order was released, Democratic leaders emphasized that the decision to redistrict or not will be in the hands of Virginians this spring.

“It’s a question of whether people want to move forward that’s responsive to the redistricting that we’ve seen in other states,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger said while walking with reporters in Capitol Square Friday. “Certainly, the General Assembly was clear with the amendment process they put forward, and now it’s up to voters.”

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, also echoed the sentiment. Virginia’s redistricting effort is a response to President Donald Trump kicking off redistricting squabbles nationally by encouraging GOP-led states to fortify their party by redrawing their Congressional maps, Scott said.

“We have a president that’s run amok,” Scott said in a press gaggle Friday morning. “So we have no choice but to respond and try to do everything in our power to level the playing field.”

While Virginia’s redistricting amendment surfaced in recent months, the national debates first began late last summer when Trump prompted Texas to redraw its maps. Other GOP states began following suit, and the Democratic states like New York and Maryland began their own processes.

House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, made no reference to Trump or Republican states’ redistricting on Friday, but lamented other Democratic-led states’ efforts. With the redistricting process still moving forward, he noted the outreach efforts his party will need to do to counter Democratic messaging.

“We’re going to make the case to Virginians that this is unfair, this is unprecedented, and, you know, quite frankly, it’s against the law we believe, and we will ultimately win in court,” Kilgore said.

The court’s order also allows Attorney General Jay Jones to intervene in the case. All parties must file their opening briefs with the court by March 23.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with responses from Democratic and Republican leaders.

by Samantha Willis and Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury

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