Virginia supreme court invalidates redistricting map after referendum

The Virginia Supreme Court has struck down a congressional map approved by voters in a recent referendum, ruling it unconstitutional. Democratic leaders have criticized the decision as overturning the will of the people.

The ruling came on May 8 in an opinion by Justice D. Arthur Kelsey. The court found that Virginia Democrats had asked for any review to be delayed until after the vote, citing precedent that prevented intervention while the measure was still under consideration by voters. Only about 1.6 million of the 3 million participants supported the map in the referendum.

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Virginia Supreme Court justices rejecting a redistricting map in a courtroom setting
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Virginia supreme court strikes down redistricting referendum

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The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled Friday that a voter-approved redistricting plan violated state constitutional procedures. The 4-3 decision nullifies the April referendum and keeps the state's existing congressional maps in place. Democrats had sought the change to gain a stronger edge ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a voter-approved redistricting plan that Democrats hoped would add four House seats. The 4-3 ruling cited a procedural error in how the measure reached the ballot. The decision comes amid a broader wave of Republican-led map changes in Southern states.

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The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that a newly drawn congressional map favored by Democrats is unconstitutional, overturning the results of a special election and leaving the state with its previous boundaries.

A recent poll indicates narrow support for a mid-decade redistricting amendment in Virginia, with likely voters backing it 52-47%. The measure aims to redraw congressional maps from a 6-5 Democratic edge to 10-1 in their favor, potentially affecting House control during President Donald Trump's term. Early voting ends April 18, with the ballot decision on April 21.

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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on April 29 that Louisiana's congressional map, which included a second majority-Black district, constitutes an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act requires proof of intentional discrimination, not just disparate impact. The decision, in Louisiana v. Callais, limits race-based redistricting and prompts new maps in several states.

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's April 29, 2026, Callais v. Louisiana decision striking down Louisiana's congressional map as a racial gerrymander (as covered in this series), experts warn the reinterpretation of Voting Rights Act protections could endanger minority representation nationwide. Louisiana has extended suspension of its U.S. House primaries until at least July 2026 amid expectations of a redraw.

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South Carolina Republican lawmakers failed Tuesday to secure the votes needed to extend the legislative session and redraw congressional maps, stalling efforts pushed by President Donald Trump to eliminate the state's only Democratic-held House district.

 

 

 

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