Virginia Democrats introduce contentious partisan redistricting plan

RICHMOND, Va. (CN) — Democrats in Virginia’s legislature introduced a redistricting plan Wednesday in hopes of combating similar Republican efforts in Texas and North Carolina.

Democratic Delegate Rodney Willett pitched a constitutional amendment containing trigger language that would allow Virginia to modify congressional districts if another state modifies its districts for reasons other than a court order. Democrats hope to have voters weigh in on the issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The House of Delegates passed the measure on a party-line vote, but it will need to be heard and passed two more times over the next few days. Democrats enjoy majorities in both chambers.

The state constitution requires the General Assembly to give voters two opportunities to vote on representation before implementing any amendments. Democrats called the part-time legislature into special session on Friday to pass the amendment before the gubernatorial election on Tuesday. They would then need to hold a special election in the spring of 2026 to comply with the two-election requirement.

The measure to implement partisan redistricting comes after President Donald Trump explicitly instructed Texas and other states to find him more Republican seats before 2026.

Over two-thirds of Virginia voters in 2020 approved creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission to draw new maps every 10 years. The proposed amendment would effectively render the commission’s purpose moot as Democrats seek changes mid-decade. Republican lawmakers called the effort a slap in the face to Virginia voters’ will.

“What’s happening today is a power grab by one party,” Republican Delegate Chris Obenshain said on the House floor. “Rural voters are not a monolithic group. They are diverse, and they have their own needs, from the coal fields of Southwest Virginia to the farms of the Shenandoah Valley to the fishermen of the Eastern Shore and the tobacco industry in Southside. They each deserve to have a voice.”

Democrats argue redistricting is necessary to combat the Trump administration. Virginia currently has six Democratic representatives and five Republicans. Democrats have yet to release their proposed map, but there have been discussions that they could tip the scales toward creating 10 safely Democratic districts and leaving only one safely Republican.

“The power grab is coming from Washington,” Democratic Delegate Marcus Simon said on the House floor. “We’re doing the little bit that we can here in Virginia to protect our democracy and to protect the United States of America from that power grab by doing what little we can, or at least giving the voters of Virginia the opportunity to say, ‘hey, we want to push back.’”

Republicans have indicated intent to fight the amendment in court through multiple avenues. Republican lawmakers claim in one lawsuit filed in Tazwell, Virginia, that the session itself is invalid as they believe only the governor can call lawmakers to reconvene outside of the annual session. Rather than calling a new special session, Democratic leaders called lawmakers to reconvene under the guise of a special session initiated in 2024 by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin to correct a budget error related to the funding of a tuition-waiver program for military dependents and their spouses. The Democrats argue they never gaveled out of the special session and can thus expand its purpose to include whatever a majority of lawmakers wants.

Another lawsuit, expected to be filed in the coming days, focuses on a violation of the state code requiring public notice 90 days before the first of the two required elections.

The rushed process gave the public short shift to offer input on the matter Democrats proposed only a week ago — in a committee hearing on Wednesday, opponents of the amendment had a combined 10 minutes to voice their displeasure.

“We cannot allow ideological agendas to take priority over the will of the people,” Michael Huffman, executive director of the Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists, told the committee. “Perhaps the problems in Texas and North Carolina are that they do not have a redistricting commission. We need to stop talking about Trump, stop talking about other states and uphold an amendment that was overwhelmingly voted 66% to have a commission just five years ago.”

Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, a candidate in Virginia’s gubernatorial election set for Nov. 4, called the measure a sideshow meant to get her off the campaign trail. The special session also affects the 100 members of the House of Delegates who are up for reelection.

“What we are seeing today is the worst kind of political backtracking, an attempt to grab power by erasing the voter’s voice,” Earle-Sears said at a press conference. “Virginians, my friends, deserve transparency, fairness and integrity in their elections. They deserve to know that no matter who holds office, their votes will count the same as everyone’s.”

Republicans used their time in the chambers to lambast Democrats for what they call clear gerrymandering.

“Because we have a disagreement with the President of the United States, we’re going to throw Virginia’s constitution to the wind,” House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore said on the House floor. “We’re asking people to vote on lines that haven’t been drawn.”

The public also reminded Democrats that they may not always be in the majority.

“Any mechanism you normalize today will be used against you the moment power shifts,” Hanover resident Melinda Ruggiero told the committee. “You are building the exact sword that will one day cut your own majority down.”

Democrats emphasized voters will still have their say. The legislature will continue to meet through the week as Democrats rush to complete the process before Tuesday’s election.