Virginia Voters Approve Democratic Congressional Map

Virginia voters approved a referendum authorizing the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to implement new congressional maps that could net Democrats as many as four additional U.S. House seats, projections show.

The amendment temporarily bypasses the state's bipartisan redistricting commission and would let lawmakers install new maps through the end of the decade, part of a mid-decade battle that began after pressure to redraw maps, reports said.

Republicans have filed legal challenges and the Virginia Supreme Court allowed the special election to proceed while reserving the right to rule on the measure's legality, court records and reports said.

The new map would leave just one safe Republican district and give Democrats an advantage in 10 of 11 districts, up from six Democratic seats currently, projections and state results show.

The outcome shifts the national redistricting tally and could reshape control battles ahead of the midterms, and Florida's Republican governor has called a special session to consider new House maps, analysts and officials warned.