Judge Blocks Virginia Redistricting Plan After Narrow Referendum Passes

A state court judge on Wednesday stopped Virginia from certifying the results of a narrow referendum that would have opened the door to a new congressional map, delivering a major setback to Democrats trying to redraw the state’s political lines before the 2026 midterm elections. Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. blocked the state from moving forward with the vote and, according to reports, said both the referendum and the law behind it were unconstitutional.

The ruling means Virginia cannot take action to implement new districts for now, even after voters approved the measure on Tuesday by 51.45 percent to 48.55 percent, with about 3.06 million ballots cast in the special election. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones said the state will appeal, arguing that voters had spoken. The referendum would have allowed the Democratic-led General Assembly to redraw the commonwealth’s congressional map before next year’s House elections.

The stakes are sharp because the proposed map was seen as a chance for Democrats to compete for as many as four Republican-held U.S. House seats. That made the case part of a national struggle over who controls the lines that decide congressional power, with the battle widening after Donald Trump urged Republicans in states including Texas to redraw maps to their advantage. On the Democratic side, former President Barack Obama and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries were among the figures backing the effort to reshape Virginia’s map.

Hurley had already moved against the referendum earlier this year, issuing a temporary restraining order in February after a challenge brought by the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. Republicans also attacked the ballot language, arguing that the phrase restore fairness was misleading. With Wednesday’s order, the legal fight shifts into another round of appeals, and the outcome could decide whether Virginia enters the 2026 cycle with the current map or a newly drawn one that could threaten Republican seats, including those held by Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith. If the ruling stands, Democrats lose one of their clearest paths to changing the balance of the state’s House delegation before voters return to the polls.