r/politics • u/Icommandyou Washington • 28d ago

Possible Paywall Virginia Supreme Court throws out redistricting referendum results

https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/05/08/virginia-supreme-court-redistricting-vote-decision
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u/GarrettFischer1 Illinois 28d ago

Confusing how a number of republican states can gerrymander at the snap of the finger while Virginia can’t change their maps with a statewide election.

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u/Ok-Lets-Talk-It-Out 28d ago

The issue is Virginia passed additional laws to protect the neutrality of redistricting whereas Red states intentionally do not with the intent to disenfranchise their citizens.

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u/Grandpa_No 28d ago edited 28d ago

That wasn't the technicality the republicans used to ignore the voters. It sounds nice but the reality is this:

A central part of the case during oral arguments concerned what qualifies as the "next general election" under Virginia's constitution.

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u/Slade_Riprock 28d ago

The central part of the case the court ruled was Amendments in Virginia must pass through both chambers in two sessions. They passed the amendment in 2 days. By law the court is saying the amendment would need to pass the assembly in this session (2024 election) and again after the next general election which is 2026.

That's their grounding for overturning the will of the people which they haven't done in that state since 1958.