What started in Texas has continued in Virginia, with state lawmakers passing an amendment allowing a rare mid-decade redrawing of congressional maps. The amendment still requires voter approval and takes effect only if another state also conducts a mid-decade redraw.
Virginia Democrats, who control the state legislature, are trying to redraw congressional districts to create three to four more districts they could easily win. Democrats currently control six of the state’s 11 districts.
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The National Democratic Redistricting Committee has revealed more than two maps, according to sources NBC News spoke to. One map showed Democrats with 10 favorable districts, and another showed nine.
What will the amendment do?
The measure would amend Virginia’s Constitution, allowing lawmakers to temporarily sidestep the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission and redraw the map. Lawmakers added a trigger clause that enables Virginia to redraw its map only if another state does the same outside the usual redistricting cycle or under a court order. The clause does not specify whether a particular party must control the trigger state.
This section stipulates that this amendment is void after Oct. 31, 2030, when the census is completed.
Most states allow redistricting every 10 years after the Census Bureau releases the new census. At least 11 states explicitly prohibit mid-decade redistricting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Virginia’s Constitution allows for redistricting once every decade.
In October, state Democrats signaled that they planned to pursue a constitutional amendment during the more than 610-day special session, which was initially called to address the state budget. Democrats framed their redistricting plan as a defensive move in response to Republican-led redistricting in other states, the Virginia Mercury reports.
However, Virginia Republicans disagreed with that opinion, saying the Democrats used it as an excuse for a power grab. Republican state Sen. Mark Peake said it wouldn’t stop at congressional seats, the Mercury reports.
“You’re going to redo the House of Congress. You’re going to redo the House of Delegates, and you’re gonna redo the state Senate,” Peake said. “We all know that is what is going to happen.”
Republicans also criticized their Democratic colleagues after state lawmakers passed an amendment in 2020 creating the Virginia Redistricting Commission, which is a bipartisan redistricting committee.
Do voters support the measure?
It’s unclear if Virginia voters support the amendment but they overwhelmingly voted for the 2020 amendment creating a bipartisan redistricting committee. This amendment would circumvent that commission, at least temporarily.
California could be a signal for how Virginians may vote after California voters approved Proposition 50 in 2025, which similarly amended the state’s Constitution to allow mid-decade redistricting.
A November Politico poll shows Americans support gerrymandering, as long as it supports their party. A partisan preference is clear: 54% of Democrats support redrawing maps to favor Democratic candidates, while 53% of Republicans express support for the opposite.
What’s the latest on redistricting nationwide?
Virginia’s measure is just the latest move in the nationwide redistricting fight. Starting in July 2025, Texas Republicans kicked it off after unveiling a new Texas congressional map that picked up five seats for the party.
Texas lawmakers began the bid after President Donald Trump pushed Republicans to redraw maps that would help them in the 2026 midterms. The incumbent party typically loses in midterms, as was the case in 2010 during former President Barack Obama’s first term, which he called “a shellacking.”
Following Texas’ decision, California Democrats launched their bid to redraw districts more favorable for their party.
On Wednesday, a federal court allowed California to move forward with its voter-approved congressional map after Trump and the Department of Justice argued Democrats broke the Voting Rights Act.
The Trump administration claimed that the state did not follow proper procedure when redrawing the map, leading to racial gerrymandering. The three-judge panel disagreed but noted that the map was “overwhelmingly” partisan.
Since the redistricting fight began, Republicans have gained 10 seats, while Democrats gained six. But it’s not over, as several more states, like Florida, Illinois and Maryland, are looking to redraw before the 2026 midterm elections.
