Misleading Ads Flood Virginia Ahead of Redistricting Vote

Deceptive texts and billboards aim to confuse voters on who supports the referendum

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:07pm

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A highly stylized, abstract painting featuring a fractured, geometric interpretation of a voting ballot or ballot box. The image is dominated by overlapping waves of deep red, navy blue, and charcoal grey, conveying a sense of chaos and division surrounding the political issue.Deceptive political ads flood Virginia ahead of a crucial redistricting referendum, sowing confusion and division among voters.Charlottesville Today

As Virginia voters prepare to vote on a proposed redistricting amendment, a wave of misleading advertisements has hit the state. A text message falsely claims that Barack Obama, Abigail Spanberger, and George Allen oppose the measure, while a billboard in Page County appears to imply that former President Trump supports it.

Why it matters

The deceptive ads are an attempt to sway voters on a critical issue that could impact the balance of power in future elections. Accurate information is essential for voters to make informed decisions on the referendum, which aims to temporarily redraw voting maps in response to Republican-led redistricting efforts in other states.

The details

The text message sent to voters claims that Obama, Spanberger, and Allen all oppose the redistricting amendment, when in fact Obama and Spanberger have publicly urged Virginians to vote yes. The justification for the misleading text comes from a 2019 social media post where Spanberger criticized gerrymandering, but she has since made clear her support for the current referendum. Meanwhile, a billboard in Page County features a photo of Trump with the words 'President Trump says, 'Take over the voting.' Vote yes on redistricting April 21,' despite Trump's actual comments calling for Republicans to 'take over the voting' in other states.

  • The redistricting referendum vote is scheduled for April 21, 2026.
  • Early voting totals for the referendum have been surging in recent weeks.

The players

Barack Obama

Former President of the United States who has publicly endorsed voting yes on the redistricting referendum.

Abigail Spanberger

Governor of Virginia who has publicly supported the redistricting referendum, despite misleading claims to the contrary.

George Allen

Former Governor of Virginia who has publicly opposed the redistricting referendum.

John Bisognano

President of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, who has criticized the deceptive tactics used by the 'No' campaign.

Donald Trump

Former President of the United States whose comments about 'taking over the voting' have been misrepresented in a misleading billboard.

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What they’re saying

“Gerrymandering is detrimental to our democracy and it weakens the individual voices that form our electorates. Opposing gerrymandering should be a bipartisan priority.”

— Abigail Spanberger, Former Congressional Representative

“Governor Spanberger has made her support of this referendum clear, and she is encouraging every eligible Virginian to vote yes. Importantly, she believes voters have the information they need to make an informed decision.”

— Abigail Spanberger, Governor of Virginia

“Over the past year, several Republican-controlled states have taken the unprecedented step of redrawing their Congressional maps in the middle of the decade. And they've done it for a simple reason. to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms this fall. In April, Virginians can respond by making sure your voting power is not diminished by what Republicans are doing in other states. This amendment gives you the power to level the playing field in the midterms this fall.”

— Barack Obama

“The 'No' campaign and its allied MAGA-funded dark money groups are so terrified of the voters that they are resorting to desperate, deceptive tactics like this one to spread misinformation and lies. There is no confusion. President Obama endorses voting YES to stop Trump and his MAGA allies from rigging our elections and to protect the rights and voting power of the American people ahead of the midterms.”

— John Bisognano, President, National Democratic Redistricting Committee

What’s next

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The takeaway

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