Virginia Democrats vote to break up Virginia’s bipartisan Redistricting Commission to redraw Congressional districts

This article was edited to make the process of amending Virginia’s Constitution more explicit.

With just over a week until Election Day, Virginia’s political climate has sharply shifted, this time over redistricting. Lawmakers voted Wednesday to change the state constitution, a step that would ultimately require voter approval, to allow them to revisit Congressional district lines ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Virginia’s Democratic leadership called a special session in Richmond for Monday with only 72 hours’ notice. Republican members were blocked from speaking on the House floor regarding the proposal.

In a party-line vote, the House of Delegates approved a rules package Monday allowing a vote to amend the Virginia Constitution and potentially end the bipartisan Redistricting Commission that was overwhelmingly approved by voters four years ago for Congressional seats. Another party line vote approved the proposal Wednesday. The same occurred in the Virginia Senate.

Virginia’s Democrats will have to pass the legislation in the 2026 General Assembly Session and it will then have to be approved by popular referendum by Virginia’s voters in an election to become law. A special election for the referendum would likely be called by Democratic leadership so the lines could be redrawn before next fall’s Congressional races.

“I just find it sad that the ‘Virginia Way’ is now a forgotten thing with the new Democrats in Richmond,” said Delegate Rob Bloxom. “The way the legislative process is supposed to work is you send it to a subcommittee, then to a full committee for debate, but this was being handed to the full committee Wednesday. They gave us five minutes to look at the three amendments they’ve proposed. On this one we got 12 hours.”

The bipartisan Redistricting Commission was the result of efforts led by another Eastern Shore lawmaker, former Delegate and Senator Lynwood Lewis, a Democrat, who championed the commission for years. Its creation ultimately resulted in Lewis losing his seat in the Virginia Senate.

Virginia’s Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares issued a ruling Wednesday saying any attempts to amend the Virginia Constitution after an election has already begun “undermines the voice of Virginia voters and violates the foundational principles of Virginia Constitutional law.”

Democrats say they are righting the scales after other Republican controlled states announced plans to redraw their Congressional lines.

Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger says she won’t oppose efforts by Virginia’s Democratic-led legislature to begin redrawing the state’s congressional map.

Spanberger told the Associated Press from her campaign bus that Democrats are simply “keeping the option alive” for future action, saying she’s focused on the final days of her campaign rather than the timeline for redistricting.

Her comments mark a shift from earlier this year, when she said she had “no plans” to pursue redistricting as Governor.

Republicans were quick to fire back. GOP candidate and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears blasted the move, accusing Democrats of trying to undo the state’s voter-created independent redistricting commission.

“This isn’t about party, it’s about principle,” Earle-Sears said during a news conference outside the statehouse.

The debate over Virginia’s map echoes similar political battles across the country, as both parties fight for control of U.S. House seats ahead of next year’s midterm.