Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down Democrats' Redistricting Measure

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a constitutional amendment that would have added up to four seats for the Democratic Party in the U.S. House. The measure was approved by voters on April 21. The court declared the results null and void, citing irreparable damage to the integrity of the referendum. Legislature violated constitutional procedures by approving the amendment during a special session, not properly called for that purpose, and for failing to meet notice requirements before early voting began, it said in its opinion. The ruling marked the latest development in the fiery fight between the Democratic Party and the GOP over so-called mid-decade redistricting, which started in Texas and California. It delivers a significant blow to Democratic efforts to gain ground ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The Republicans are having an upper hand in the redistricting fight so far. It started a new round of redistricting efforts at the state level after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled racial gerrymandering unconstitutional on April 29.