A Virginia circuit court judge has struck down Democrats’ effort to fast-track a redistricting constitutional amendment. Ruling the process used by the General Assembly as a violation of state law and the Virginia Constitution. The decision blocks the proposed amendment from appearing on the ballot, at least for now. This signifies a delay in a major setback to Democrats’ plan to redraw congressional maps ahead of the fall midterm elections.
Democratic leaders immediately vowed to appeal, insisting the ruling would not stop them from pushing for voters to decide the issue in the spring referendum. They framed the case as an attempt by Republicans to obstruct the will of voters. Meanwhile national Democratic officials labeled the decision as an overreach that they expect higher courts to overturn.
Republican leaders who filed the lawsuit argued the ruling was about enforcing constitutional procedure rather than partisanship. Judge Jack S. Hurley Jr. sided with them on most key points. Finding that Democrats improperly introduced redistricting during a special legislative session originally convened for budget matters, without the required two-thirds support. He also ruled that the initial vote on the amendment was invalid because it occurred while House of Delegates elections were already underway. Which violates the requirement that constitutional amendments pass once before and once after an election.
In addition, the judge found that lawmakers failed to comply with a state law requiring proposed amendments to be posted at county courthouses 90 days before an election. He rejected Democratic arguments that the provision was obsolete and ruled that recent legislative efforts to retroactively nullify the requirement.
An Uncertain Path Forward
The case sits at the center of a broader national redistricting fight. Democrats argue the amendment is a response to Republican-led states like Texas and North Carolina redrawing maps to favor the GOP. Meanwhile Republicans say Virginia Democrats attempted to bend the rules to gain a potential 10–1 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation.
With appeals expected, the legal battle now moves to higher courts, leaving uncertainty over whether Virginia voters will ultimately weigh in. Hence, whether new congressional maps could be drawn in time for the upcoming elections.
Reference
Schneider, G. (2026, January 27). Judge rules Virginia Democrats violated law with redistricting amendment. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/01/27/virginia-redistricting-court-ruling/