Virginia's Redistricting Fight Is Heading to Voters
Here's What You Need to Know Before April 21
By The Central Call News Desk
Virginia voters will head to the polls on April 21 to decide one of the most consequential questions in the Commonwealth’s recent political history: Should the General Assembly be allowed to redraw congressional district maps in the middle of the decade, before the 2026 midterm elections?
The referendum stems from a proposed constitutional amendment known as House Joint Resolution 6007 (HJR6007), which has been moving through the courts and the Capitol since last fall. Here is everything you need to know before you vote.
Why Is This Happening Now?
Redistricting — the process of redrawing district boundaries to reflect population shifts — has traditionally happened once every 10 years, right after the U.S. Census. But that norm unraveled in 2025.
At President Trump’s urging, Republican-controlled Texas passed new congressional maps designed to deliver as many as five additional GOP seats. Missouri and North Carolina followed. With control of the U.S. House on the line in November 2026, Democrats in states they control began looking for ways to respond.
Virginia’s Democrat-controlled General Assembly convened a special session in late October 2025 and passed HJR6007 along party lines — 51-42 in the House of Delegates and 21-16 in the Senate. But because Virginia’s constitution requires a proposed amendment to pass in two consecutive legislative sessions with an election in between, Democrats had to pass it again in January 2026. They did. Now voters will decide.
Under the proposed amendment, Virginia’s Independent Redistricting Commission — which voters created in 2020 — would NOT be abolished. The amendment temporarily gives the legislature the power to draw congressional maps between now and October 2030, after which the commission would resume control.
What Would the New Maps Actually Look Like?
On February 20, 2026, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed House Bill 29, which outlines proposed new congressional district boundaries — but those maps only take effect if voters say YES on April 21.
Under the current court-drawn maps (in use since 2022), Virginia’s 11-member congressional delegation is split 6 Democrats and 5 Republicans. The proposed new map would shift that to 10 Democrats and 1 Republican — a dramatic transformation that Democrats say is a necessary response to Republican gerrymandering in other states.
The new map would move roughly 48% of Virginians into a different district. Outside of far Southwest Virginia, most voters currently represented by a Republican would shift to a district favoring Democrats.
“When the stakes are this high, we cannot sit back.” — Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth)
What Do Opponents Say?
Republicans have fought the amendment at every step, calling it an unconstitutional power grab. Former Governor Glenn Youngkin called the process “shameful, fundamentally wrong, and illegal.” Attorney General Jason Miyares issued an opinion stating the amendment violated Virginia’s constitution because it was introduced after early voting had already begun for November’s elections.
Republican legislators filed lawsuits in Tazewell County Circuit Court, and in January 2026, Judge Jack Hurley ruled that the amendment had been improperly passed — blocking it from the ballot. Democrats appealed immediately.
In February 2026, the Virginia Supreme Court stepped in and ruled the referendum could go forward on April 21 while the court considers arguments in the case. The deadline for those arguments is set for two days after the election, meaning the legal fight is not over even if voters approve the amendment.
Where Do Things Stand Legally?
The Virginia Supreme Court has allowed the April 21 referendum to proceed, which legal observers say signals the court is taking the merits of the case seriously. A second Republican lawsuit — challenging the ballot timing itself — is also pending. Early voting for the referendum is scheduled to begin March 6, though that too could be affected by ongoing litigation.
WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT
Voters will be asked: “Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia’s standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?” A YES vote supports the new maps. A NO vote keeps the existing court-drawn districts in place.
What Happens Next?
If voters approve the amendment, the new maps — creating a 10-1 Democratic advantage — would go into effect before the November 2026 midterm elections. If voters reject it, or if courts strike it down, Virginia’s current maps remain in place.
The Central Call will continue covering this issue through the April 21 referendum. To find your polling place and early voting options, visit vote.elections.virginia.gov.
