Virginia Senate advances redistricting amendment

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The Virginia Senate approved a Constitutional amendment on Friday that would allow lawmakers to redraw congressional maps ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

“It’s a sad day for Virginia, but we’re going to take this up in the courts. I feel strongly that we will be successful,” said Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R-Colonial Heights).

The measure, which was approved on a 21-16 vote, now moves to the 2026 General Assembly session. If approved there, voters would then have the final say on the amendment in a statewide referendum.

“This amendment is about increasing the political power of the Democratic Party,” said Sen. J.D. “Danny” Diggs (R-York).

Democrats control six of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts and say any potential redistricting would yield them several more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington.

“The amendment provides explicit authority for the General Assembly to modify one or more congressional districts, outside of the standard decennial redistricting cycle, in the event that any other state conducts a redistricting of the state’s congressional districts outside of the standard decennial redistricting cycle or for any purpose other than complying with a state or federal court order to remedy an unlawful or unconstitutional district map,” the amendment - HJ6007 - says.

Some Republicans expressed concern over early voters.

“Of the million people who voted before this ever became public on October 28 they have also been disenfranchised and left out of the process. And that’s not how it’s supposed to work,” Sen. Sturtevant said.

Republicans also arguing it is against the will of the people who voted in favor of establishing a redistricting commission five years ago.

“Are we telling Virginia voters that 66% of you who supported and voted for the commission that their representatives have changed their minds now because it’s convenient for them to do so?,” said Sen. William Stanley (R-Franklin).

But democrats argue when voters made that choice, they could not have foreseen what they call overreach from the White House.

“You see more and more states keep falling as President Trump calls up these state legislatures and starts hammering them and lobbying them and controlling them and threatening them,” said Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Eastern Fairfax). “Ohio just adopted a new map today. Indiana got called back earlier this week or last week. Texas was just a canary in the coal mine, and it’s starting to show that Republicans around the country are getting in line behind their dear leader.”

“And that is why we are here today, to provide Virginians the option, the option, of whether or not they want to redraw congressional districts,” said Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach).

Gov. Glenn Youngkin called this week’s session and approval of the amendment “shameful, fundamentally wrong, and illegal.”

“Virginians are not ‘leverage,’ he said. ”They deserve fair districts, and they will not forget this injustice.”

The Virginia Democratic Caucus said Republican-led states are trying to rig the 2026 mid-term elections.

“We refuse to let Virginians be vulnerable to a national redistricting crisis and power grab designed to silent voters in minority districts,” the group said.

Click/tap here to learn more about the amendment.