Virginia Voters Weigh Redistricting Amendment

Virginia voters are heading to the polls in a pivotal referendum that could reshape the state's congressional map, potentially handing Democrats a commanding advantage in the U.S. House delegation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The statewide vote, set for April 21 with early voting underway since March 6, asks residents to amend the state constitution to permit the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to temporarily redraw districts before the next census in 2030.

The proposed amendment stems from a broader national redistricting dispute. Under the current map, drawn through a bipartisan process five years ago, Virginia's 11 congressional seats are split with six held by Democrats and five by Republicans. The new boundaries, if approved and implemented, would likely create Democratic majorities in 10 districts, leaving just one reliably Republican seat in the southwest, according to analyses from policy groups and election experts. Democrats argue the change addresses imbalances created by Republican-led redistricting in states like North Carolina, Texas, Missouri, and Ohio last year, which favored the GOP in response to President Donald Trump's calls to bolster the...