Virginia’s highest court ruled that a voter-approved redistricting referendum violated constitutional procedures, invalidating a Democratic-backed effort that could have dramatically reshaped the state’s congressional delegation ahead of the 2026 elections.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled Friday that a statewide referendum approving new congressional maps violated the Virginia Constitution, nullifying the measure and preserving the court-drawn congressional districts currently in place for the 2026 election cycle.
In its written opinion, the court determined that state lawmakers failed to follow constitutional procedures governing amendments placed before voters.
The majority concluded the referendum was approved without satisfying Virginia’s requirement that proposed constitutional amendments pass through two legislative sessions separated by a general election, a process intended to allow voters an opportunity to respond politically before the amendment reaches the ballot.
“In this case, the Commonwealth submitted a proposed constitutional amendment to Virginia voters in an unprecedented manner that violated the intervening-election requirement in Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia,” the majority wrote.
“This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void,” the opinion continued. “For this reason, the congressional district maps issued by this Court in 2021 pursuant to Article II, Section 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia remain the governing maps for the upcoming 2026 congressional elections.”
The ruling effectively blocks implementation of a Democratic-backed congressional map that critics argued would have reduced Republicans to a single congressional seat in the state.
According to the decision, lawmakers did not finalize approval of the proposed constitutional amendment until after early voting had already begun in Virginia’s 2025 House elections, which opponents argued violated the required constitutional timeline.
The decision means Virginia’s current congressional alignment is expected to remain intact heading into the 2026 midterm elections, preserving the existing balance of six Democratic-held seats and five Republican-held seats.
Chief Justice Cleo Powell dissented alongside Justices Thomas Mann and Junius Fulton.
Virginia voters had narrowly approved the referendum earlier this year by a 51.7 percent to 48.3 percent margin, according to prior reporting from Fox Baltimore.
Before the Supreme Court ruling, a Virginia circuit court in Tazewell County had already declared the measure unconstitutional in an April 22 decision, sending the matter to the state’s highest court for final review.
President Donald Trump praised the ruling in a Truth Social post, calling it a major victory for Republicans.
“Huge win for the Republican Party, and America, in Virginia,” Trump wrote. “The Virginia Supreme Court has just struck down the Democrats’ horrible gerrymander. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Reaction to the ruling quickly spread online, including a widely shared post on X declaring the Democratic-backed map “officially dead.”
The Virginia decision comes as multiple states continue redrawing congressional districts ahead of the 2026 elections.
Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed revised congressional maps into law that Republicans believe could add several GOP-held seats to the House delegation.
On Thursday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also approved new congressional maps that eliminated the state’s lone Democratic-held congressional district.
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