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Virginia voters are set to decide on the fate of a constitutional amendment on Tuesday (April 21) that could reshape the state’s congressional map and give Democrats an advantage in the upcoming midterms.
The proposed Virginia map would give state Democrats the ability to hold up to 10 of the state’s 11 districts, according to NBC News. They currently only hold six.
The constitutional amendment would temporarily bypass the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission to maintain a new congressional map for the rest of the decade, returning mapmaking duties to the commission following the 2030 census.
Although Virginia has historically leaned Democratic — Governor Abigail Spanberger won by 15 points in November, and former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the state by six points in the 2024 presidential election — some Virginia Democrats have expressed unease and concern about the party’s chances.
Primarily, this concern stems from the party’s previous criticisms of Republican redistricting efforts in the state and the challenge of trying to win voters with the same message, per NBC, especially since voters approved the bipartisan redistricting commission by an overwhelming majority in 2020.
“It’s not a done deal by any means,” Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va, told the outlet. “We have to effectively make the case that even though this seems unfair in Virginia, it’s totally fair for America, for those of us who believe that taking back the House is the most significant thing we can do to stop Donald Trump.”
According to a Washington Post/George Mason University poll released earlier this month, 52% of likely voters support the referendum while 47% oppose it.
However, the Virginia Supreme Court has reserved the right to rule on the measure's legality after the vote, despite previously allowing the special election to proceed.
Prominent Democratic figures such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and former Attorney General Eric Holder have held rallies and canvassing events in support of the referendum, primarily in opposition to the Trump administration's efforts to urge voters to reject it.
President Donald Trump himself reportedly made a last-minute effort to urge Virginians to reject the redistricting ballot measure on the evening of Monday (April 20) during a telerally call with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), according to The Hill.
“This referendum is a blatant partisan power grab that nobody’s really ever seen anything like it,” Trump said. “And if it passes, Virginia Democrats will eliminate four out of five congressional seats, so you’re going to get just wiped out in terms of representation in Washington. That’s what it’s all about.”
Former President Barack Obama has also urged voters to vote “yes” on the ballot measure.
Recent Republican TV ads have featured years-old footage of Obama previously criticizing political gerrymandering as a means of swaying voters against the amendment, while Democrats have run contrasting ads highlighting how the proposal is necessary to counter Trump.
One Democratic TV spot states that Trump “told Texas to rig their congressional maps” and labels the measure as a “temporary fix to level the playing field.”
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