Virginia Democrats take first step toward redrawing the state’s congressional map
Virginia Democratic lawmakers on Friday took the first big step in a complicated maneuver aimed at redrawing the state’s congressional map ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
The Virginia State Senate Friday passed a constitutional amendment that would allow the Legislature to draw new maps if another state did the same outside of the usual ten-year cycle, unless it was the result of a court order. The state House approved the measure Wednesday.
Virginia Democrats must circumvent the bipartisan redistricting commission approved just five years ago to pursue a new map that would strengthen their party. To do this, Parliament must pass the proposed constitutional amendment twice, with elections in between. Lawmakers took that first vote ahead of Tuesday’s elections in Virginia, where key state offices, including the governor’s office, and all 100 seats in the House of Representatives are at stake.
Once lawmakers pass the amendment in two different sessions, it will then need to go to voters for final approval. If a majority supports it, then Democrats will need to move quickly to pass new maps before the 2026 elections.
Virginia Democrats’ plan will also require a successful election on Nov. 4 so they can pass the amendment in a second session. Democrat Abigail Spanberger is the favorite in the governor’s race, which would move the seat away from GOP control. Democrats also aim to maintain or expand their 51-49 majority in the House of Representatives.
Democrats currently represent six of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts. Depending on how aggressive they are, they could win two or three new Democratic-leaning seats with a new map.
The current lines were drawn by two special masters appointed by the Virginia Supreme Court after the commission failed to agree on the maps during the 2021 election cycle. The resulting map gave no partisan advantage to either party, according to the Princeton Gerrymandering Project.
More than 65% of Virginia voters approved the creation of the redistricting commission in 2020. But Democrats now say President Donald Trump’s push for Republicans in states like Texas to draw new maps made their own maneuver necessary.
Republicans argued that Democrats were undermining the voter-approved commission and blasted them for doing so as Virginians began voting early ahead of Tuesday’s election.
“This amendment does not just trample on the process we created and enshrined in our Constitution. It betrays the will of the people,” said Republican Senator Glen Sturtevant. “What’s worse is that this is happening in the middle of an election. It’s not a reform, it’s a reversal. It’s not transparency, it’s a seizure of power.”
Democratic Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, a strong supporter of the redistricting commission approved in 2020, disagreed.
“We’re not trying to end the practice of fair maps. We’re asking voters if they want, in this limited case, to ensure that a president who violates constitutional norms cannot rig the entire nation’s elections by twisting the arms of a few state legislatures,” he said during the floor debate.
Virginia’s efforts are just the latest chapter in this year’s national redistricting saga. California Democrats are also trying to circumvent their independent redistricting commission and are seeking voter approval to pass new maps to strengthen the party.
After Republicans in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina passed new maps, the GOP-controlled Indiana Legislature will convene next week for a special session on redistricting, as the party seeks to protect its slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
