Virginia voters back redistricting plan, here’s what that means for seats in Congress

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a mid‑decade redistricting plan that could improve Democrats’ chances of picking up as many as four additional U.S. House seats in November’s midterm elections, which will determine control of a narrowly divided Congress.

The constitutional amendment, which passed by a slim margin, bypasses the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission and authorizes the use of new maps drawn by the Democratic‑led General Assembly.

READ MORE: Virginia voters approve redistricting amendment

But the vote may not settle the issue. The Virginia Supreme Court is weighing a legal challenge that could invalidate the plan and render the referendum results meaningless.

The outcome marks a setback for President Donald Trump, who last year urged Republican officials in Texas to redraw districts as part of a broader national effort to help the party secure more seats in November and maintain its narrow House majority. 

The Virginia vote, however, could offset GOP gains elsewhere.

“Virginia just changed the trajectory of the 2026 midterms,” Democratic state House Speaker Don Scott said in a celebratory statement according to the Associated Press. “At a moment when Trump and his allies are trying to lock in power before voters have a say, Virginians stepped up and leveled the playing field for the entire country.”