Virginia Schedules Special Election on Redistricting Amendment

A special election is scheduled for Tuesday in Virginia on a proposed constitutional amendment regarding redistricting. Fox News reported that the Virginia redistricting effort requires a statewide vote to go into effect. If successful, the new maps would change the current 6-5 congressional split in Virginia to a 10-1 advantage for Democrats by stretching Republican areas into Democratic strongholds.

Virginia Republicans criticized the proposed constitutional amendment as the most unfair among redrawn maps across the country. Virginia's GOP criticized the redistricting as a drastic power swing that misrepresents the state's purple voter base. Redistricting efforts have occurred in Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah.

A lawmaker met with a group of Virginia Watermen from across the state this morning. The lawmaker stated: 'Virginians spoke in 2020; you know what they said? By a supermajority, they said no to gerrymandering.'

Democrats hope to gain seats through the new maps to recapture control of the House of Representatives. The GOP currently holds a 217-213 majority in the House of Representatives. Democrats supporting the amendment argue it balances Republican-led gerrymandering efforts that began in Texas and describe the push as retaliatory.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that politically favoring one party through district design is constitutional. Gerrymandering has been banned in Virginia since a constitutional referendum in 2020. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the state could temporarily amend its constitution to allow implementation of new maps.