Virginia voters have narrowly approved a landmark constitutional amendment allowing the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to redraw the state’s congressional maps ahead of the 2030 census.
The Associated Press called the race Tuesday night as the “Yes” vote led with 51.45% of the ballots.
This decision shifts power away from the state’s bipartisan commission potentially moving Virginia from a 6-5 Democratic split to a 10-1 Democratic advantage in the U.S. House.
Governor Abigail Spanberger hailed the result stating, “Virginia voters have spoken and tonight they approved a temporary measure to push back against a President who claims he is ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats in Congress.”
Supporters argued the move was necessary to counter Republican gerrymandering in other states, while former Governor Glenn Youngkin condemned it as an “egregious power grab” and warned it would create “the most severely gerrymandered state in the nation.”
Former President Barack Obama also chimed in saying “Thanks for showing us what it looks like to stand up for our democracy and fight back.”
Despite the win, the battle is not over; the Virgina Supreme Court is expected to review legal challenges against the amendment’s validity in the coming weeks.
