Virginia Redistricting Referendum: Democrats Win 51.5%–48.6%; Up to 8–10 House Seats at Stake; Legal Challenge Filed

Results from Virginia's April 21 special election on a redistricting constitutional amendment — reported April 22 with 97% of ballots counted — showed Democrats winning narrowly, 51.5% to 48.6%. The amendment bypasses the bipartisan redistricting commission, allowing the Democrat-controlled General Assembly to draw new congressional maps that could shift 8-10 of Virginia's 11 US House seats to Democrats before the November 2026 midterms. Nearly 1.4 million early votes were cast before Election Day, and both sides spent a combined ~$100 million — the most expensive Virginia ballot measure in state history. The Virginia Supreme Court was already considering a legal challenge that could nullify the result before any new maps are drawn. Republicans argued the measure was an unconstitutional off-cycle power grab; Democrats framed it as correcting partisan gerrymandering and a bellwether of Democratic organizing power ahead of the November midterms.