By DAVID A. LIEB and GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press
The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a voter-approved Democratic congressional redistricting plan, delivering another major setback to the party in a nationwide battle against Republicans for an edge in this year’s midterm elections.
By GARY D. ROBERTSON and DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Supreme Court judges on Monday questioned whether the state’s Democratic-led legislature complied with constitutional requirements when it sent a congressional redistricting plan to voters, in a case that carries high stakes for the balance of power in the U.S. House.
Fairfax County is poised to be split up into five Congressional districts after Virginia voters narrowly passed a constitutional amendment yesterday (Tuesday) that will let the General Assembly adopt a new map outside the standard once-a-decade redistricting cycle.
Statewide, it was a tight race, with about 51.5% of voters backing the referendum and 48.4% opposing it — a difference of approximately 97,600 votes out of the more than 3.1 million ballots cast, according to preliminary results from the Virginia Department of Elections.
Virginia voters appear to have approved a constitutional amendment to allow a one-time, mid-decade redistricting effort in today’s tightly contested special election.
While opponents initially led based on early voting, ballots reported later in the evening by Fairfax County and other heavily Democratic jurisdictions in Northern Virginia tipped the scales in favor of supporters, according to preliminary results reported by the Virginia Department of Elections.
After months of sometimes confusing commercials, mailers and political campaigning, Virginians will decide tomorrow (Tuesday) whether to allow an off-cycle redrawing of the state’s Congressional districts.
Voters will head to the polls to weigh in on a proposed constitutional amendment supporting a one-time, mid-decade redistricting process, one that would shift the current partisan balance for the House of Representatives to one where Democrats are favored in 10 of 11 districts.
Even before Virginia voters decide on a new congressional map, Democrats are piling in to run for districts proposed under a redistricting plan that is designed to give their party a near sweep of the state’s U.S. House seats.
The latest entrant is Olivia Troye, who was an aide to former Republican Vice President Mike Pence and has become a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. She announced today (Tuesday) that she’ll run in Virginia’s newly created 7th Congressional District — one of five that would include Fairfax County — joining an already crowded field.
One local state lawmaker announced plans today (Monday) to seek a newly-drawn Congressional seat if Virginia’s redistricting amendment is approved by voters later this month.
Saddam Azlan Salim, a Democrat who has served in the state Senate since 2023, joins a crowded primary field for the proposed 7th Congressional District that includes two other state lawmakers and a former Virginia first lady.
Fairfax County Public Schools students will have an unexpected day off this spring, as polling sites take over many school buildings for the upcoming special election on mid-decade redistricting.
FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid announced yesterday (Wednesday) that all schools will close on April 21 in anticipation of high turnout for the referendum, which asks voters to temporarily amend Virginia’s Constitution so the General Assembly can adopt a new Congressional district map.
Former Virginia first lady Dorothy McAuliffe is officially running for Congress.
The onetime state department official and wife of former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced today (Wednesday) that she will campaign for the proposed 7th Congressional District seat, which would include Annandale, Burke, West Springfield, West Falls Church and Pimmit Hills in Fairfax County.
For the second time, Virginia’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that voters can cast ballots on a Democrat-led congressional redistricting plan that could help the party win four more U.S. House seats, as the justices review legal challenges to the effort.
The court ruled that a statewide referendum can be held on April 21 on whether to authorize mid-decade redistricting, upending a temporary restraining order put in place by a Tazewell County judge last month. It comes after the top court made a similar ruling last month in a related case.
