Virginia Supreme Court throws out redistricting referendum results
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The Virginia Supreme Court overturned the results of the state's redistricting referendum, which voters narrowly approved last month.
Why it matters: The 4-3 ruling upends one of the most closely watched redistricting fights in the country.
- It follows months of legal challenges over whether the referendum was unconstitutional.
The big picture: The Friday decision says the amendment process pushed by Democrats violated the state constitution,effectively blocking the effort to redraw congressional maps mid-decade.
- That's after the state spent $5.2 millionto pay for the special election, and outside groups raised nearly $100 million to sway voters.
- The new map would have been in effect for the November midterms and was expected to shift the state's congressional split from 6-5 favoring Democrats to 10-1.
Between the lines: It was a move Democrats said would've countered Republican-led states that redrew districtsto add GOP seats in a closely divided U.S. House.
- Republicans, who have repeatedly sued to block the redistricting vote, have called it extreme, illegal and hyperpartisan.
Zoom in: A central part of the case during oral arguments concerned what qualifies as the "next general election" under Virginia's constitution.
- Virginia law requires amendments to move through two General Assembly sessions: one before the House has an election (last November) and one after.
- Republicans have argued that lawmakers had improperly advanced the amendment after early voting for the 2025 House elections had already begun.
- Meanwhile, Democrats have said that an "election" is a single day in November.
What they're saying: Siding with Republicans, the high court ruled that Virginia's "general election" includes the early voting period, not just Election Day.
- That violation "incurably taints" the referendum and invalidates the vote, per the ruling.
The other side: Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, said in a statement, "We respect the decision of the Supreme Court of Virginia."
- But Attorney General Jay Jones blasted the ruling as politically motivated, accusing the court of putting "politics over the rule of law" and "silenc[ing] the voices" of Virginia voters.
- Jones said his office is reviewing "every legal pathway forward."
Context: The state Supreme Court overturning voters' decision is rare, but it happened at least once in 1958, per Cardinal News.
- The high court ruled that Arlington residents had voted on an unconstitutional law in 1956 and struck down the election results.
The intrigue: If Democrats appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, it wouldn't be the first time Virginia election disputes have landed there.
- In 2024, former Attorney General Jason Miyares won a last-minute U.S. Supreme Court ruling, allowing Virginia to resume its voter purge program days before Election Day.
What we're watching: Whether Democrats take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Editor's note: This is a developing story. Check back for updates.