Virginia Supreme Court Allows Redistricting Referendum Vote

Virginia Redistricting Showdown Moves From Courtroom to Ballot Box

Virginia voters will decide April 21 whether to approve a redistricting amendment after the state Supreme Court refused to pause the referendum while litigation proceeds.

Published February 18, 2026

A high-stakes Virginia redistricting referendum will move forward after the Supreme Court of Virginia refused to block the measure, setting up an April 21 vote that could dramatically reshape the commonwealth’s congressional balance in a move many call biased and unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court of Virginia refused to block a proposed redistricting referendum, clearing the way for Virginians to vote April 21 on whether to overhaul the state’s congressional districts while the legal fight continues.

Rather than settle the dispute outright, the court fast-tracked the case and ordered briefs due by March 23, ensuring the referendum will proceed even as judges weigh its legality.

The proposal would redraw Virginia’s congressional map into districts favoring Democrats in ten of the state’s eleven seats, reshaping political boundaries across much of the commonwealth.

Democratic leaders quickly cast the ruling as a win for voters.

“It’s a question of whether people want to move forward,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger said while speaking with reporters at Capitol Square. “Certainly the General Assembly was clear with the amendment process they put forward, and now it’s up to voters.”

Republican lawmakers, however, say the referendum represents an unprecedented attempt to redraw maps outside the normal redistricting cycle. (RELATED: Raw Sewage Floods Potomac After Massive Pipe Failure)

Virginia Democrats smile and laugh as Abigail Spanberger signs the redistricting referendum that would disenfranchise 48% of the commonwealth. pic.twitter.com/QvROPA2Wta
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 6, 2026

Republican Virginia House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore of Scott County vowed to continue challenging the effort in court while making the case directly to voters.

“We’re going to make the case to Virginians that this is unfair, this is unprecedented, and, quite frankly, it’s against the law we believe,” Kilgore said. “And we will ultimately win in court.”

The decision also grants Attorney General Jay Jones the authority to participate in the case, ensuring the state’s top legal office plays a role in the constitutional fight.

Virginia’s current congressional districts were drawn after the 2020 census, but its next draft may come sooner than expected. (RELATED: Virginia Senate Panel Takes Up Battery Storage Mandate Backed by Gov. Spanberger)