Virginia lawmakers approved a measure on Friday that could ultimately clear the way for Democrats to redraw the state’s congressional maps and add as many as four Democratic-leaning seats.
The legislature sent voters a constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to redraw the lines this year and circumvent a panel that is supposed to be in charge of drawing district lines. Democrats currently represent six of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts, and have said they will pursue a plan in which they are favored in either nine or 10 of the state’s congressional districts.
Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2021 creating a bipartisan panel to draw the state’s districts. But the panel was unable to reach any kind of consensus, so the Virginia supreme court drew the state’s districts instead.
The election for the constitutional referendum is expected to be in April. Virginia Democrats, who won control of the state legislature and governorship last year, have not yet unveiled their proposal for a map but have said they will do so ahead of the referendum.
The move is one of the biggest chances for Democrats to add seats in their favor amid an unusual mid-decade sprint to redraw congressional districts. At the urging of Donald Trump, Texas, Missouri and North Carolina have all reconfigured their maps to add up to seven extra GOP seats. Redistricting in Ohio could also add a few additional GOP seats. Florida Republicans are set to redraw maps there to add seats later this year.
Democrats have countered by redrawing the map in California, where they could add up to five Democratic seats. A court ruling in Utah has also given Democrats a chance to pick up a seat there. Virginia remains one of the biggest states left for Democrats to reconfigure districts and add seats.
“As Republicans intensify their efforts to steal seats and undermine our elections, Virginia Democrats are answering the call to protect our democracy. Voters will be now empowered to shape the future direction of the commonwealth and how they are represented in Congress,” Heather Williams, the chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the arm of the party that focuses on state legislative races, said in a statement.
