RICHMOND, Va. — The Supreme Court of Virginia has agreed to expedite a case challenging the legality of the state's Democratic-led congressional redistricting plan, setting up a timeline that will allow voters to weigh in before the court makes its final ruling.
The decision fast-tracks an appeal of a circuit court judge's ruling that declared the Democrats' redistricting plan illegal.
Despite the ongoing legal challenge, the court said the voters' referendum scheduled for April 21 can still proceed as planned.
"For me, a real priority was that people would know what that temporary redistricting would look like. The draft map is out, and so now it's up to the voters to decide," Governor Abigail Spanberger (D-Virginia) said in response to the ruling.
CBS 6 legal analyst Todd Stone said by taking the case directly and fast-tracking it, the Virginia Supreme Court is signaling that they view this as an urgent and important statewide issue to be resolved.
"The referendum will move forward as scheduled on April 21 for voters to decide," Stone said. "The Supreme Court’s ruling will ultimately decide the issue of whether this amendment ever legally existed in the first place."
"This order is really about timing, not the final outcome," Stone continued. "By fast-tracking the case, the Supreme Court is trying to answer the legal questions before the next election cycle fully unfolds, rather than after voters or lawmakers act based on uncertainty. For voters, that means clarity may come sooner — but not immediately. The April 21 referendum can still move forward, even though the Court may later decide the amendment was never valid. So the justices are essentially racing the election calendar to decide whether this question ever should have reached voters."
House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) requested the expedited appeal process.
The Democratic redistricting proposal would create 10 Democratic-leaning districts out of Virginia's 11 congressional districts.
This represents a significant shift from the state's current 6-to-5 Democratic advantage and could dramatically alter the political landscape.
Under the Supreme Court's order, Democrats making the appeal must file their briefs by March 23, while Republicans have until April 13 to submit their response. Then an April 23 deadline for any reply briefs.
This means the referendum will have occurred before filing deadlines have passed and a ruling would not be issued until after voters have had their say.
Watch: What are Democrats thinking? Dr. Bob breaks down proposed Virginia redistricting maps.
Scott previously stated the redistricting effort responds directly to President Donald Trump's influence on Republican redistricting efforts nationwide.
CBS 6 is giving you a voice. Have a news tip or concern in your community?
Connect with WTVR: newstips@wtvr.com
"We have a responsibility to level the playing field. They want to pretend that everything has not changed. The world as we know it has changed," Scott said. "We are responding to what Donald Trump has done. Nothing more, nothing less. And that response is done is a transparent way, to be able to allow voters to have the last day."
Virginia Republicans criticized the redistricting lines as gerrymandering that would dilute rural voices.
"You will be able to drive 11 miles through Fairfax County and hit five congressional districts," said Del. Wren Williams, a Republican from Franklin County.
"All that's going to matter is what Northern Virginia wants from now on. That's what we're saying," said Del. Terry Kilgore, the Republican minority leader from Scott County. "You're also setting up a situation where a congressman can just stay in his own area where his population base is and not pay any attention to these rural areas."
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
