Virginia to hold referendum on redistricting plan
Voters in virginia will face a referendum on a Democratic-favored congressional redistricting plan after the state senate passed an amendment clearing the way. the measure – advanced thru a required special session after an October 2025 amendment and a 62-33 House vote earlier this week – would allow Democrats to draw a new map sooner than usual and is expected to pass in the referendum.The move comes amid a nationwide redistricting battle, including recent Republican-led efforts in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina and Democratic actions in states like California. The current map gives Democrats six seats and Republicans five; some Democratic leaders have proposed a map that would shift the balance to roughly 10 seats for Democrats and one for Republicans. Reactions were sharply partisan: Republican Sen. Mark Peake criticized the effort as politically motivated, while Democratic Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell framed it as a check against what he called efforts by President Trump to consolidate political power.
Virginia to hold referendum on redistricting plan after amendment passes state senate
Virginia is set to hold a referendum on a Democrat-favored redistricting plan after the state’s upper chamber passed an amendment on Friday that clears the way.
Virginia marks the last Democratic maneuver before the midterm elections in the nationwide gerrymandering arms race, which started in August when Texas revealed plans for a new congressional map to strip Democrats of five seats. After a special session in October 2025 passed the amendment, the House passed it in a required special session earlier this week in a 62-33 vote. The measure passed through the state senate on Friday, setting up a voter referendum that would allow Democrats to draw a new congressional map earlier than usual.
The amendment is expected to be approved in the referendum. The reception of the development was predictably split along partisan lines.
“Because you hate the man that’s in the White House, and that’s really the only thing that’s behind this … you want to blunt his power, then [Democrats are] going to politically gerrymander and take away the rights of the people,” Republican state Sen. Mark Peake said.
Democratic Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell argued it was necessary, decrying President Donald Trump as a dictator trying to seize total control.
“They didn’t imagine that we’re going to have a hyper-partisan, fascist ideologue telling state legislatures around the country to basically … redesign their districts to maximize his own personal political power,” he said, referring to the president.
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The current Virginia congressional map is nearly evenly split, with Democrats holding six congressional seats and Republicans holding five. Democratic plans would eviscerate the Republican presence in the state, with House Speaker Don Scott and state Senate President pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas saying they would support a map that gives Democrats 10 seats and Republicans just one.
Republican states have pushed through major redistricting efforts in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina at Trump’s urging. California has been the most prominent Democratic state to push the same measures.
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