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Axios
Virginia Supreme Court throws out redistricting referendum results
Center Left
The Virginia Supreme Court overturned the results of the state's redistricting referendum, which voters narrowly approved last month.Why it matters: The 4-3 ruling upends one of the most closely watched redistricting fights in the country.It follows months of legal challenges over whether the referendum was unconstitutional.The big picture: The Friday decision effectively blocks Democrats from redrawing congressional maps mid-decade.That's after the state spent $5.2 million to pay for the special election, and outside groups raised nearly $100 million to sway voters.The new map would have been in effect for the November midterms and was expected to shift the state's congressional split from 6-5 favoring Democrats to 10-1.Between the lines: It was a move Democrats said would've countered Republican-led states that redrew districts to add GOP seats in a closely divided U.S. House.Republicans, who have repeatedly sued to block the redistricting vote, have called it extreme, illegal and hyperpartisan.Zoom in: A central part of the case during oral arguments concerned what qualifies as the "next general election" under Virginia's constitution.Virginia law requires amendments to move through two General Assembly sessions: one before the House has an election (last November) and one after.Republicans have argued that lawmakers had improperly advanced the amendment after early voting for the 2025 House elections had already begun.Meanwhile, Democrats have said that an "election" is a single day in November.What they're saying: Siding with Republicans, the high court ruled that Virginia's "general election" includes the early voting period, not just Election Day.That violation "incurably taints" the referendum and invalidates the vote, per the ruling.The other side: Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, said in a statement, "We respect the decision of the Supreme Court of Virginia." But Attorney General Jay Jones blasted the ruling as politically motivated, accusing the court of putting "politics over the rule of law" and "silenc[ing] the voices" of Virginia voters.Jones said his office is reviewing "every legal pathway forward."Context: The state Supreme Court overturning voters' decision is rare, but it happened at least once in 1958, per Cardinal News.The high court ruled that Arlington residents had voted on an unconstitutional law in 1956 and struck down the election results.The intrigue: If Democrats appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, it wouldn't be the first time Virginia election disputes have landed there.In 2024, former Attorney General Jason Miyares won a last-minute U.S. Supreme Court ruling, allowing Virginia to resume its voter purge program days before Election Day.What we're watching: Whether Democrats take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.Editor's note: This is a developing story. Check back for updates.Go deeper: Virginia redistricting vote sets spending record
