Virginia Democrats advance bill setting redistricting referendum for April 21

Kate Seltzer, The Virginian-Pilot on Jan 22, 2026

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NORKOLK, Va. — Virginians could vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow the Democrat-controlled General Assembly to redraw congressional maps April 21. Del. Luke Torian, a Democrat, introduced legislation that would schedule the ballot referendum accordingly.

According to the bill, voters would be asked this question:

“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?”

Virginia has six Democrats and five Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lawmakers have not yet put forth a map outlining new proposed districts — they’ve promised one by Jan. 30 — but some Democrats have championed a map that could give Democrats a 10-1 advantage.

Democrats say they’re responding to other states taking measures to redistrict in favor of Republicans. Republicans say Virginia should act independently of what other legislatures do and have brought a legal challenge disputing the notion that the resolution successfully passed the legislature twice with an election in between.

The House Appropriations Committee voted 15-7 along party lines Thursday morning to advance the legislation. The vote was scheduled Thursday morning with little public notice. The committee meeting ran for fewer than 15 minutes. The bill does a number of other things, including paying the salary for the director of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems and upgrading its software.

Republicans criticized what they say is a lack of transparency in pushing forward the ballot measure.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been more disappointed in my entire time in Richmond,” House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore said in a statement. “It’s one thing to try to rig maps against the will of voters, it’s another thing to cut the public out of the process altogether with snap meeting, bills sent to odd committees, and no chance for Virginians to have their say.”

The legislation also appropriates $5.2 million for costs associated with the April 21 special election.

“This is a year that we have short revenues in the commonwealth,” GOP Del. Terry Austin said during Thursday’s committee meeting. “We have a lot of need for money, and this is an expensive process.”

Austin also said that a redistricting amendment would be unfair representation for Virginians.

“This is actually the most fair process that we can take in order to protect Virginians because of what is happening in other states,” responded Del. Cia Price, a Democrat. “If we were to not act, or at least give the voters the opportunity to choose to act, then we would be allowing for Texas, maybe Florida and North Carolina to diminish the power our Virginians’ vote. I strongly believe one person, one vote, and that is not where we are, and that is a change from when the voters voted for the redistricting commission.”

Other legislation that aims to schedule the ballot referendum for another constitutional amendment was referred to the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee as opposed to the Finance and Appropriations Committee.