Virginia Democrats Advance Redistricting Amendment as GOP Warns of “10–1 Map”
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Democrats are moving forward with a constitutional amendment that would allow the General Assembly to redraw the state’s congressional map mid-decade — a shift that has already sparked sharp partisan warnings about what the new lines could look like.
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The amendment, known as HJ 6007, cleared its first required passage this fall. Under Virginia’s constitution, it must pass again in the next legislative session before being sent to voters for approval in a statewide referendum, likely in 2026.
Democratic leaders say the move is a direct response to aggressive GOP-led redistricting in states such as Texas and North Carolina, where Republican legislatures have pushed mid-cycle maps that strengthen their party’s control of the U.S. House. Supporters argue Virginia shouldn’t “unilaterally disarm” while other states tilt their maps in one direction.
But Republicans are sounding alarms about what Democrats could do with that new authority. Former Delegate Tim Anderson claimed this week on social media that Democrats plan to redraw Virginia’s 11 districts into a 10–1 Democratic majority.
No public plan supports that claim.
State officials have not released any draft maps, and the amendment itself only authorizes the legislature to redraw districts — it does not dictate how those districts must be configured, nor does it include any partisan breakdown.
House Speaker Don Scott Jr. has backed the amendment and has said Democrats should be ready to act if Republican states continue reshaping their maps. But he has not endorsed any specific partisan configuration, including the 10–1 scenario circulating online.
If voters approve the amendment after its second passage, lawmakers could move quickly to draw new congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms. Any map is expected to face legal scrutiny, particularly in a year when courts nationwide are weighing the limits of partisan gerrymandering.
For now, the amendment’s trajectory signals that Virginia is preparing to join the national redistricting fight — but any specific map, Democratic or otherwise, remains months away.