By Alan Wooten
The Center Square

Democrats in Virginia need an appeal to their favor within two weeks to keep alive hopes of redrawing congressional districts that could potentially give them four more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Friday, the new congressional map proceeded through the Legislature in Richmond. A day earlier, Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack Hurley Jr. granted an emergency injunction sought by the Republican National Committee effectively blocking voters from choosing on April 21.

March 6 is the start of early voting, and Hurley’s action doesn’t allow preparation for the referendum through March 18.

Democrats appealed. The state Supreme Court has an earlier appeal where Hurley ruled the planned voter referendum was rushed. The high court has allowed it to move forward while litigation also proceeds.

Success on the referendum by Democrats would allow a redraw of maps that have sent six Democrats and five Republicans to a U.S. House divided 218-214 in favor of Republicans with three vacancies. With the 2030 census, the process would return to decennial census redraws.

The U.S. House of Representatives was a 220-215 Republican majority following the 2024 election.

The state is one of 20 that doesn’t require voters to affiliate with a party when registering. In the 2024 presidential race, Democrat Kamala Harris won 51.8% of the more than 4.5 million votes and Republican Donald Trump 46.1% – a difference similar to today’s representation.