Republicans advance Southern redistricting after Virginia court voids Democratic map effort
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 8
Republicans advance Southern redistricting after Virginia court voids Democratic map effort
16 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 8
Alabama neared a vote to alter primaries, while Louisiana and South Carolina unveiled plans after Tennessee approved new districts and Virginia's top court struck down Democrats' amendment.
Republicans say the push could help them gain House seats in November, aided by a recent Supreme Court ruling that weakened minority voting-rights protections and sparked protests from Democrats and civil-rights activists.
The fight could disrupt primaries and already-cast ballots in several states, with both parties battling for control of a closely divided House and some strategists warning aggressive gerrymanders could backfire.
As states redraw voting districts, what does 'fair representation' now mean for a community's electoral power?
What new hurdles do citizens face when challenging electoral maps in court under the latest legal standards?
Virginia’s 2026 Redistricting Amendment Struck Down Over Procedural Violations, Preserving 6-5 House Split
Overview
On May 8, 2026, the Supreme Court of Virginia struck down a voter-approved congressional redistricting amendment due to procedural violations by Democratic lawmakers, including rushing the amendment during early voting and exceeding the scope of a special session. This ruling nullified the new map approved in April 2026 and mandated the use of the 2021 map for the November elections, preserving a 6-5 Democratic delegation split. The decision dealt a significant national blow to Democrats by giving Republicans a potential 12-seat advantage in the midterms. It also set a precedent for challenging voter-approved maps on technical grounds, prompting Democrats to plan federal legal challenges while Republicans aim to maintain the current map.