Virginia redistricting vote will take place in April, court rules

The Supreme Court of Virginia has agreed to hear state Democrats’ appeal of a court order blocking their attempt at mid-decade congressional redistricting.

In the Feb. 13 order, the court allows the April 21 referendum vote on the new congressional map to move forward, after the special election was paused by a Tazewell County circuit judge.

In its order, the high court cited the “imperative public importance” of the case as noted when the state Court of Appeals immediately pushed the case up the judicial ladder. No date has been set for the hearing, but all indications within the order point to it no earlier than mid- to late spring, after a special referendum to permit the redistricting is held April 21.

Virginia Democrats began mobilizing to redraw the districts to offset similar actions in Texas and other states as suggested by President Donald Trump. The president encouraged Texas to redo its district lines now, rather than at the start of the 2030s, in an effort to strengthen GOP control of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

Virginia now has 11 districts, and Democrats hold a 6-5 majority in them. The plan shepherded by Democrats would redraw the boundary lines that could increase the Democratic majority to 10-1.

It saw some significant line shifts in several districts.

For example, the Fourth Congressional District that stretches from metro Richmond southward to the Virginia-North Carolina line would be widened to pull in the city of Williamsburg in the east; all of Southampton County in the southeast; and the city of Danville, and the counties of Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg to the west along the state line. It would also give up several Richmond suburban areas, including northern and northwest Chesterfield County, to the 5th District.

In the Shenandoah Valley, Augusta County would be split among the 6th, 7th and 9th congressional districts, according to the map.

Road to the high court

Last month, a circuit court judge in Tazewell County sided with state Republicans to block the proposed map. Democrats quickly appealed the ruling to the state Court of Appeals, which in turn put a hold on the Tazewell decision and immediately directed the case to the Supreme Court for action.

In its order, the Supreme Court took note of that move.

“It appearing to the court that these matters have not been determined by the Court of Appeals of Virginia and that the case is of such imperative public importance as to justify the deviation from normal appellate practice and to require a prompt decision in this court, the motion of the Court of Appeals of Virginia that we certify these cases for review,” the order read.

As expected, Democrats were elated by the news, while Republicans chastised the high court for playing politics with it.

“Today the Supreme Court of Virginia affirmed what we already know, Virginians will have the final say,” said a statement from House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, one of the chief architects of the map. “The redistricting referendum on April 21 will move forward.”

“Last October, Democrats took an unprecedented step to illegally pass a constitutional amendment at the 11th hour,” said Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover County. “The judiciary agreed and the Supreme Court has taken up and fast tracked the case. Make no mistake, the rule of law will prevail.”

Reporting by Bill Atkinson, Petersburg Progress-Index / The Progress-Index