Virginia Democrats Ask Supreme Court to Restore Voter-Approved Congressional Map

Washington — Virginia Democrats asked the Supreme Court on Monday to restore a new voter-approved congressional map designed to give their party an edge in the 2026 midterm elections. The request came days after the state's highest court blocked the map.

State Democratic leaders sought emergency relief to pause the Virginia Supreme Court's decision. They called the ruling "deeply mistaken" on federal law issues and labeled it "judicial defiance of the commonwealth's Constitution" and state statutes that set new congressional district lines for the 2026 elections.

"By forcing the Commonwealth to conduct its congressional elections using districts different from those adopted by the General Assembly pursuant to a constitutional amendment the people just ratified, the Supreme Court of Virginia has deprived voters, candidates, and the Commonwealth of their right to the lawfully enacted congressional districts," they wrote in their filing.

Virginia joined several states in mid-decade redistricting after Texas reconfigured its House district lines at President Trump's urging last year. California, North Carolina, Missouri and Florida have followed. The Supreme Court allowed Texas and California to use their new congressional voting boundaries for this year's House elections. Texas' map is expected to net Republicans five seats, while California's is set to net Democrats five seats.

Last month, Virginia voters approved a ballot measure that allowed the state legislature to adopt a new map. It would give Democrats an advantage in 10 House districts and leave just one safe Republican seat. The state's congressional delegation currently has six Democrats and five Republicans.

On Friday, the Supreme Court of Virginia blocked the plan. It found that the legislative process Democrats used to place the constitutional amendment on the ballot violated the state constitution.

Lawyers for state Democratic leaders said after the decision that they planned an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court. The nation's highest court typically does not review state supreme courts' interpretations of their own constitutions.

The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling dealt a significant blow to Democrats' efforts to counter Republican pushes to redraw congressional maps and improve their chances of winning the House in November.