Virginia Moves Closer to Redistricting Plan That Would Help Democrats

The Virginia House of Delegates voted on Wednesday to approve a constitutional amendment that would allow the state legislature, where Democrats control both chambers, to draw new congressional maps for the 2026 midterm elections.

The amendment now goes to the Virginia Senate, which is expected to pass the measure in the coming days, setting in motion a monthslong process that could lead to new districts more favorable to Democratic candidates.

The sudden push to redraw the maps ahead of schedule is the latest in a wave of similar efforts in state capitals, and comes five years after voters in Virginia backed the creation of a bipartisan redistricting commission intended to make the process less partisan.

Instead, Virginia now finds itself one of several states caught up in the partisan fight for control of Congress, where Republicans hold a narrow majority but face the prospect of losing seats next year, as the party in power typically does in midterm elections. In the spring, President Trump urged Republican states to gerrymander to their advantage; Texas, North Carolina and Missouri have already passed new maps while the state legislature in Indiana will be holding a special session for redistricting next week.

In California, voters are likely to approve maps next week that could flip five seats for Democrats in 2026, polls show. And in Illinois and Virginia, Democrats also have begun efforts to redraw maps in response.

Mid-decade redistricting is more difficult in Virginia than it has been in many Republican-held states, as it requires amending the state constitution. To take effect, amendments must be approved by the legislature twice: once before the next statewide election and once after it.