Virginia's Redistricting Revolution: A Partisan Power Play

The Virginia House voted to amend the constitution to enable legislators to redraw congressional maps, intensifying a multistate redistricting war. The move bypasses an independent commission, allowing Democrats to reshape boundaries for partisan advantage. The action counters similar Republican efforts in other states led by President Trump.

The Virginia House of Delegates, in a Democratic-led initiative, has voted to amend the state constitution to allow legislators to redraw congressional maps, fueling a multistate redistricting battle sparked by former President Donald Trump. The resolution was passed by a narrow party-line vote of 51-42.

The measure, now headed to the Virginia Senate, seeks to bypass an independent commission set up by voters in 2020. If approved, the Democratic-controlled legislature could reshape congressional boundaries for partisan advantage ahead of the 2026 elections, once passed again next year and approved by state referendum.

This development is part of a larger struggle, with Democrats nationwide advancing their own redistricting efforts in response to Republican moves in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina. In California, similar initiatives have been made, and in Indiana, a special session is set to address redistricting proposals under pressure from the White House.

(With inputs from agencies.)