Judge Jack S. Hurley Jr. Voids Democrats' Mid‑Decade Redistricting Amendment
Judge Jack S. Hurley Jr. ruled the amendment invalid because it was not published three months before the Nov. 2025 election.
Overview
Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack S. Hurley Jr. issued an order Tuesday declaring invalid and void a General Assembly-approved constitutional amendment that would have allowed mid-decade congressional redistricting, citing violations of state procedural rules.
The ruling blocks Democrats' plan to redraw Virginia's U.S. House districts ahead of the Nov. 2026 midterm elections, a move Democratic leaders had said could help them gain up to four seats.
Don Scott, the Virginia House Speaker, said in a joint statement with other state Democratic leaders that they will appeal the ruling and that "Nothing that happened today will dissuade us from continuing to move forward," the statement says.
Hurley wrote that lawmakers advanced the amendment after more than 1 million Virginians had cast ballots in the Nov. 2025 House of Delegates election and that the proposal was not published three months before that election, court documents show.
Virginians for Fair Elections campaign manager Keren Charles Dongo said the group expects to appeal and accused Republicans of "court-shopping," court filings and campaign statements show.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as part of a national partisan redistricting battle, emphasizing legal procedure while spotlighting the political stakes for House control. Editorial choices—lead placement, national seat counts, and selection of pointed Democratic statements—collectively frame the ruling as a tactical setback in a broader GOP–Democrat map-drawing struggle.
Sources (12)
FAQ
The judge ruled the amendment invalid because it was not published three months before the November 2025 House of Delegates election and violated procedural rules for constitutional amendments, which require passage in two successive sessions and proper notice.
Democrats aimed to redraw Virginia's congressional districts before the 2026 midterms to potentially gain up to four seats, including a push for a '10-1' map favoring Democrats.
House Speaker Don Scott and other Democratic leaders stated they will appeal the ruling and remain committed to moving forward with their plans.
Virginia's congressional and state legislative districts are typically drawn by a 16-member bipartisan independent commission after the decennial census, but the amendment sought to allow the General Assembly to override this mid-decade under certain conditions.
History
4 sources