Supreme Court deals blow to Virginia Democrats in fight over state court ruling

Virginia Democrats suffered a major legal defeat after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene in a high-stakes redistricting dispute, leaving intact a Virginia Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a voter-approved congressional map overhaul.

The justices denied Democrats’ emergency request to block the Virginia high court’s decision, which found the amendment process violated the state constitution because lawmakers advanced the proposal after early voting had already begun in the required intervening election cycle.

The Virginia Supreme Court ruled May 8 in a 4-3 decision that the procedural defect "incurably taints the resulting referendum vote," effectively killing Democrats’ effort to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms.

The Virginia redistricting map was approved narrowly by voters late week in a special election that the Virginia Supreme Court allowed to be held amid a legal fight over the 'ramming' through of mid-decade redistricting. (Virginia Legislative Information System)

Virginia Democrats had argued the state court improperly overrode the will of voters who approved the amendment and claimed the ruling relied on an overly broad interpretation of election law by counting the start of early voting as part of the election itself.

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It is currently unknown which judges dissented.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.