Virginia Supreme Court mulls legality of Democratic redistricting referendum  

The Virginia Supreme Court on Monday mulled the legality of Democrats’ redistricting referendum that gave the party a more favorable edge ahead of the midterms.

The state’s highest court heard oral arguments Monday morning in a case brought forth by Republicans, arguing state Democratic legislators improperly expanded a legislative special session to take up redistricting in the first place.

Virginia voters last week approved new congressional maps, which would give Democrats a 10-1 edge in the House. Virginia Democrats currently hold a 6-5 majority in the lower chamber, and the redistricting ballot measure allows the party to temporarily redraw the state’s congressional lines before the next U.S. Census.

Monday’s court hearing marks the latest battle in the nationwide redistricting saga. At the urging of President Trump, Republican states, such as Texas and Missouri, passed new House maps in an effort to boost the GOP’s majority in the House this fall.

Democrats, meanwhile, have sought to counter these gains, with successful redistricting efforts in Virginia and California in their own quest to flip the lower chamber this November.

Multiple Republican groups filed lawsuits over Democrats’ redistricting in Virginia. Some challenges have alleged that the constitutional amendment — which must be passed in two state legislative sessions with an election between — was approved for the first time while voting was already under way during the November 2025 elections. 

In February, The Virginia Supreme Court allowed the referendum to proceed while it weighed the merits of the case, but during oral arguments on Monday, it was not quite clear which way........

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