A Virginia court ruled on Wednesday that Virginia’s redistricting referendum was unconstitutional, freezing the results of a special election that would boost Democrats’ power in Congress.
The Tazewell Circuit Court ruled that the state’s redistricting referendum held on Tuesday and the bill that triggered the special election were unconstitutional and had failed to follow the correct processes for passage. The court issued an injunction blocking certification of the referendum election and declaring all votes for or against the proposed constitutional amendment essentially void, meaning that the current political maps will stay in place as the case plays out in court.
The case is expected to be appealed immediately to the Virginia Supreme Court. Attorney General Jay Jones confirmed that he would appeal the decision, according to 7 News.
The development comes after Virginia voters on April 21 approved a constitutional amendment that would allow the state to redraw its congressional districts ahead of the 2026 elections. The referendum was approved by a margin of 3%, and was expected to hand the Democratic Party a sweeping advantage, allowing it to hold 10 out of 11 seats in the House.
President Donald Trump expressed concern that the referendum’s passage was “rigged” after it passed in the special election, claiming that a “massive Mail In Ballot Drop” pushed the measure across the finish line, and speculating on whether the courts would “fix this travesty of Justice.”
State Republicans celebrated the decision after the circuit denied a stay pending appeal. Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin had previously urged residents to oppose the referendum.
“Virginians know a 10-1 map is not Virginia. I urge the Virginia Supreme Court to rule against this unconstitutional process that will disenfranchise millions of Virginians,” he said.
In the Virginia congressional delegation, Republicans currently hold five out of 11 seats in the House. The referendum marks a move to flip four of those seats blue. The special election offering voters a chance to approve the referendum was held on Tuesday, after Democrats wrangled the proposal, known as HJR6007, through the state legislature.
VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING REFERENDUM TIGHTENS INTO DEAD HEAT AS EARLY VOTING SURGES
In his criticism of the referendum, Trump said it contained confusing language designed to confuse voters.
“The language on the Referendum was purposefully unintelligible and deceptive,” he said in a post to Truth Social. “As everyone knows, I am an extraordinarily brilliant person, and even I had no idea what the hell they were talking about in the Referendum.”