Virginia Voters to Decide on Redrawing Congressional Districts

Proposed map could flip up to four GOP-held seats, but faces legal challenges

Feb. 6, 2026 at 9:07pm

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Virginia residents will soon vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow the state legislature to redraw congressional districts mid-decade, a move that Democrats hope could flip up to four GOP-held seats in the 2026 midterms. The proposed map has been unveiled, but the referendum faces ongoing legal challenges.

Why it matters

This vote is part of a larger push by both parties to redraw U.S. House seats in their favor ahead of the 2026 midterms. While Democrats have netted potential seats in some states, they have fewer opportunities overall to redistrict compared to Republicans, who have already redrawn districts in their favor in several states.

The details

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a bill setting an April 21 statewide vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow legislators to redraw congressional districts in the middle of the decade, rather than only after census data is released. Democrats have framed this as a response to Republican-led mid-decade redistricting in other states. The proposed map has not yet been voted on, but Democrats hope it could flip up to four GOP-held seats if implemented. However, the amendment faces legal challenges, as a state court ruled last month that the procedures used to move it through the legislature were illegal.

  • Virginia residents will vote on the constitutional amendment on April 21, 2026.
  • A state court in Virginia ruled last month that the amendment is illegal due to the procedures used to move it through the legislature.

The players

Abigail Spanberger

The Democratic governor of Virginia who signed the bill setting the referendum on the congressional redistricting amendment.

Jason Miyares

The former Republican Attorney General of Virginia and co-chair of the Virginians for Fair Maps group, who criticized the proposed Democratic-led redistricting effort as a partisan gerrymander.

Wes Moore

The Democratic governor of Maryland who has championed a new congressional map that could allow Democrats to flip the state's lone GOP-held congressional district.

Bill Ferguson

The Democratic leader of the Maryland State Senate, who has said he remains opposed to mid-decade redistricting, calling it a 'path towards mutually assured destruction.'

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What they’re saying

“Only those who crave complete political control and are willing to silence millions of Virginians will attempt to defend this abomination.”

— Jason Miyares, Former Republican Attorney General of Virginia, co-chair of Virginians for Fair Maps

“It 'is a path towards mutually assured destruction.'”

— Bill Ferguson, Maryland State Senate leader

What’s next

The Virginia State Supreme Court is expected to take up the legal challenge to the constitutional amendment.

The takeaway

This vote in Virginia is part of a broader partisan battle over congressional redistricting, with both parties seeking to redraw district lines in their favor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The outcome could have significant implications for the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.