Follow 草莓传媒鈥檚 team coverage of the 2026 Virginia redistricting referendum online, on air at 103.5 FM or on the 草莓传媒 草莓传媒 app. See the live results as they come in after polls close at 7 p.m.
Virginia voters head to the polls Tuesday for a rare spring special election that will decide whether lawmakers can temporarily redraw the commonwealth鈥檚 congressional districts.
The ballot includes a single yes-or-no question asking whether the Constitution of Virginia should be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional maps. A “yes” vote would grant lawmakers that authority, but would not automatically create new districts.
Democrats have argued the move is necessary, pointing to President Donald Trump鈥檚 calls for redistricting in Republican-controlled states, including Texas.
The map proposed by Virginia Democrats could shift four seats in the U.S. House to their side of the aisle, possibly impacting the balance of power in Congress.
Republicans have opposed the effort and are challenging it in court. The Virginia Supreme Court is not expected to rule on the plan鈥檚 legality until after the election. Any review would focus on the law and process, not the results of the vote itself.
Voters speak out
Tuesday’s election poses one question to voters: “Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia’s standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?”
Voters who support this measure say that they want equal representation in response to President Trump’s efforts to encourage redrawing maps in Republican-led states. Those against it say it is a grasp for more power by Democrats.
Outside the Fairfax County Government Center Elections Office, 草莓传媒’s Luke Lukert interviewed voters, many of whom said they want redistricting to be fair for all voters in the state and around the country.
“I don’t like the idea of gerrymandering. I don’t like the idea of cheating while you’re voting by taking people out of voting legislation, separating people and excluding people of color,” one Woodbridge man who did not give his name told 草莓传媒 outside of the A.J. Ferlazzo Building.
“I’m kind of pissed we have to do it, but I think it’s important to balance out (the congressional maps), and I hope that it helps,” Paige Bach said.
“I wish that we didn’t have to fight back in a way that feels like fighting fire with fire, like, I wish there was an easier compromise between the parties that it was a fair system always, that it valued all people equally, and that’s just not how it’s happening across the country right now,” Diane Maloney said. “So I felt like it was important to vote today to make that clear.”
However, Virginia resident Rose Winston thought the vote was a “power play grab” by the Democratic Party.
“I came in and I voted no today,” she said. “The Board of Elections didn’t even allow the citizens to put this in the voting booth area, so they were (being deceptive on purpose).”
Kevin Lovelace, who voted yes, disagreed. He said that redistricting is fair because GOP-led states have already done some redistricting in their states.
“We need fairness across the board, making sure everybody’s treated equally. So we’re going to see if the shenanigans stop and we can get people in place to make things better for everybody across the board,” Lovelace said.
Political experts weigh in
“The pro messaging is very much, ‘Trump started this and Virginia is going to finish it,'” Stephen Farnsworth, a political-science professor at the University of Mary Washington, told 草莓传媒.
“The anti-side is really looking at the dynamics of the likely result of the new district lines, a 10-1 Democratic advantage, and say, ‘That’s not consistent with where Virginia is. Virginia is a bluish-purple state, the theory goes, not the District of Columbia in its political loyalties.'”
Virginia currently has six Democrats and five Republicans in the U.S. House. Analysts say a new map approved under the amendment could favor Democrats, though final outcomes would still depend on district boundaries and election results.
Congressional districts are usually redrawn once a decade after the census. Under the proposal, any newly approved lines would apply only to the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections.
“It started off in Texas, where the Trump White House gets the Republicans who control Texas to draw a map that could potentially pick-up up to five more Congressional seats,” J. Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, told 草莓传媒. “I don’t know if the Republicans expected the Democrats to kind of take action against it, but we saw something on the Democratic side in California.”
Last year, California Democrats successfully pursued what Coleman compared to “what Democrats in Virginia are trying to do right now.”
Virginia last used an independent and bipartisan commission to draw its congressional map. This proposed amendment would allow lawmakers to bypass that process for a limited time.
A recent Washington Post-Schar School poll found 52% of voters support moving forward with a new map, but Farnsworth said turnout could be an issue.
“People are not used to voting in the spring in a lot of places,” Farnsworth said. “In Virginia, the issue is confusing, and it’s much easier, I think, for voters to focus on candidates. ‘Do you like this candidate? Do you dislike this candidate?’ Rather than constitutional issues.”
The issue has drawn prominent political figures to Virginia, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and former President Barack Obama, in an effort to boost turnout.
Some political candidates, including Del. Dan Helmer and former first lady of Virginia Dorothy McAuliffe, have already announced plans to run for one of the newly-drawn districts, should voters approve the amendment and it survives legal challenges.
Coleman said supporters view the effort as states balancing partisan gains elsewhere, or “canceling each other out.”
“That’s one argument that the proponents of this are making, is ‘OK, well, California may have already taken care of Texas, but if Florida comes around and does something to the benefit of the Republicans, we need to do something here in Virginia,'” Coleman said.
Politicians emphasize high stakes of Virginia election
Leaders from both parties say Tuesday鈥檚 vote could shape the fight for control of the House this fall. President Trump weighed in Tuesday morning, urging Virginians to vote 鈥渘o,鈥� saying it would 鈥渟ave your country.”
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said at the Capitol that approving the redraw would act as 鈥渁 check and balance on this out-of-control Trump administration.鈥�
Former Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin campaigned against the referendum. He told 草莓传媒 that what’s happening in other states in terms of redistricting should have no bearing here in Virginia.
“I don’t view this as (Democrats) did, I view this as a moment for Virginians to stand up for what’s right. In Virginia, we have a constitution that we believe in. I respect it. I swore an oath that I would protect and defend it. And I think this is what we need to do as Virginians, is stand up for what’s right and vote no today,” Youngkin said.
But Virginia Democratic Rep. Jennifer McClellan is urging voters to say yes.
“This is a temporary measure in response to an unprecedented event,” McClellan told 草莓传媒. “At no other time in American history, am I aware 鈥� definitely not in modern times 鈥� did a sitting president of the United States call state legislators controlled by his party and say, ‘find me more seats.’ And then those legislators did.”
She said that’s what the referendum on the ballot Tuesday is responding to.
“It makes clear the change only happens in response to a state that acts to do midterm redistricting in the absence of a court order and let the voters decide,” McClellan said.
The Associated Press and 草莓传媒’s Luke Lukert and Diane Morris contributed to this report.
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