Voters in the US state of Virginia on Tuesday narrowly approved a constitutional amendment to redraw congressional districts.
The measure could improve Democrats’ chances of winning four currently Republican-held seats in the November midterm elections. It bypasses a redistricting commission composed of Democrats and Republicans and allows a new map drawn by the state’s Democrat-majority General Assembly.
Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the US House of Representatives, 217 seats to the Democrats’ 213.
“Virginia just changed the trajectory of the 2026 midterms,” said Don Scott, speaker of the lower house of Virginia’s legislature. “At a moment when Trump and his allies are trying to lock in power before voters have a say, Virginians stepped up and leveled the playing field for the entire country.”
“Virginia voters have spoken, and tonight they approved a temporary measure to push back against a President who claims he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress,” Governor Abigail Spanberger said.
Former President Donald Trump urged Virginians to vote against the measure, posting on Truth Social: “VIRGINIA, VOTE ‘NO’ TO SAVE YOUR COUNTRY.” Trump and the Republican Party have fiercely opposed the redrawing while promoting their own redistricting efforts in other states.
Why is Virginia redrawing electoral districts?
The Virginia vote follows moves in other states. Texas lawmakers approved a congressional map in August that could help Republicans pick up five seats in midterm elections after Trump urged his party to redraw districts in their favor. Similar Republican-drawn maps have been pursued in Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, while Democrats recently redrew maps in California. Florida’s legislature plans a special session on redistricting on April 28.
The outcome of Tuesday’s vote in Virginia could help counteract the effects of the Texas redistricting.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse