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Virginia redistricting struck down by state Supreme Couty
After Virginians voted to approve a proposal to redraw the state's congressional districts, the Virginia Supreme Court nullified the vote, arguing that officials violated procedure by putting the item on the ballot.
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Friday rejected Virginia's bid to restore a congressional map that would have favored Democrats.
The new map would have given Democrats four more seats.
Dig deeper:
In recent days, the justices have sided with Republicans in Alabama and Louisiana who hope to redo their congressional maps to produce more GOP-leaning seats following the court’s voting rights decision.
But the Virginia situation was different, stemming from a 4-3 ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court that struck down a constitutional amendment that voters narrowly passed just last month.
The state court found that the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly began the process of placing the amendment on the ballot after early voting had begun in Virginia’s general election last fall.
What they're saying:
After the Court's ruling on Friday, Dan Helmer, who was running to represent Virginia's 7th Congressional District, announced he was suspending his campaign.
"While I’m incredibly disappointed at tonight’s news, I can’t say I’m surprised. The MAGA playbook is straightforward: if you can’t win at the ballot box, pack the courts," Helmer said. "While unelected judges can overturn the results of this election, they can’t overturn the truth: Virginians are tired of the GOP’s attempts to rip up the Constitution and end electoral democracy in this country, and we won’t be silent."
FILE - he U.S. Supreme Court building on May 4, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The backstory:
Virginia’s amendment had been intended as a response to Republican gains in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, and to blunt a new map in Florida that just became law.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from The Associated Press.