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Virginia Democrats on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block a state court ruling that invalidated a voter-approved constitutional amendment aimed at creating four additional competitive U.S. House districts favorable to Democrats.
The emergency appeal follows a 4-3 decision Friday by the Supreme Court of Virginia striking down the amendment after finding the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly advanced the measure after early voting had already begun in last year’s general election.
Democrats argued the ruling nullified the will of Virginia voters, who narrowly approved the amendment last month.
“The Court overrode the will of the people who ratified the amendment by ordering the Commonwealth to conduct its election with the congressional districts that the people rejected,” lawyers representing Virginia Democrats and Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones wrote in the filing.
“The irreparable harm resulting from the Supreme Court of Virginia’s decision is profound and immediate,” the appeal added.
The dispute is part of a broader national redistricting battle that intensified after President Donald Trump encouraged Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterm elections.
Democrats viewed the Virginia amendment as a key response to Republican gains in states such as Texas, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Analysts said the Virginia proposal could have created four additional winnable Democratic districts and partially offset GOP advantages nationwide.
The fight over congressional maps escalated further after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened major provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, allowing states greater flexibility to redraw majority-Black districts and reshape political boundaries.
Still, the Democrats’ appeal faces difficult odds.
The U.S. Supreme Court has traditionally avoided overturning state supreme court interpretations of state constitutions. In 2023, the justices declined to intervene after North Carolina Republicans sought to reverse a state court ruling blocking a GOP-backed congressional map.
Virginia Democrats argued the state court wrongly concluded the amendment process became invalid once early voting began, maintaining that elections are not legally complete until Election Day.
The Virginia Supreme Court, whose justices are appointed by the legislature and are generally viewed as ideologically mixed, rejected that argument in Friday’s ruling.
The appeal also carries political significance as Democrats increasingly criticize recent court decisions affecting voting rights and congressional maps. The U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed Louisiana Republicans to proceed with a congressional redistricting plan after ruling a majority-Black district constituted unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.
Despite the setback in Virginia, many political analysts still view Democrats as competitive in their effort to regain control of the House in the upcoming midterm elections.
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