Former President Obama throws support behind Virginia Democrats' redistricting effort

Gavin Stone, The Virginian-Pilot on Mar 5, 2026

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NORFOLK, Va. — Former President Barack Obama on Thursday threw his weight behind Virginia Democrats’ effort to get new congressional maps approved ahead of the November midterm elections.

Obama is featured in a video paid for by Virginia for Fair Elections calling out Republican-led states that have “taken the unprecedented step” of redrawing congressional maps in the middle of the decade rather than waiting for the 2030 census. He described it as being part of an effort by Republicans to “give themselves an unfair advantage” in the midterms.

He called on Virginians to vote yes on the April 21 referendum to approve a constitutional amendment that would allow Democrats to approve a new congressional map ahead of the midterms. The new maps would be temporary, lasting until 2030 when a bipartisan redistricting commission would redraw the maps based on the new census.

“Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, but right now they’re under threat,” the former president said. “This amendment gives you the power to level the playing field in the midterms this fall and voters will have the final say over what the maps look like.”

He added, “We can’t afford two more years of unchecked power and zero accountability in Washington.”

Early voting on the referendum begins Friday.

President Donald Trump last year called on Republican legislators to approve new congressional maps aimed at boosting their chances of winning more seats in the House of Representatives. Since then, Texas, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina and Florida have approved new maps favoring Republicans, while similar efforts in Indiana and Kansas have failed, Reuters reported.

Joining the fight to counter these gains alongside Virginia are Democrats in Utah, Maryland and New York.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger in a statement Thursday said that Virginia’s approach differs from Republicans’ because it allows the new maps to expire and returns the responsibility of redistricting to the bipartisan commission, and because Democrats are only redistricting in direct response to Republicans doing so.

“I supported the formation of Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting commission in 2020, and that support has not changed,” Spanberger said. “What has changed is what we’re seeing in states across the country — and a President who says he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats before this year’s midterm elections.”

The Virginia Supreme Court ruled again on Wednesday that the vote on the April 21 referendum can proceed in spite of ongoing challenges from Republicans.