Virginia Redistricting Referendum Passes Narrowly

TL;DR

Referendum Passed: Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment in a special election, allowing temporary congressional redistricting.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)
Vote Tally: Yes received 1,574,538 votes (51.5 percent) against 1,485,785 No votes (48.5 percent), with over 95 percent counted.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)
Map Shift: Amendment enables a new map creating eight safe Democratic districts, two leaning Democratic, and one safe Republican, up from current six Democratic and five Republican seats.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/us/elections/heres-what-the-new-virginia-house-map-looks-like.html)

The story at a glance

The New York Times interactive page shows live results from Virginia's April 21, 2026, special election on a constitutional amendment for mid-decade congressional redistricting. Voters narrowly approved the measure amid lawsuits, with Democrats pushing it as a response to Republican gerrymanders in other states and Gov. Abigail Spanberger signing off on the proposed map. The page includes county maps, vote breakdowns by demographics and method, and comparisons to 2024 presidential results. This comes after the Virginia Supreme Court allowed the referendum despite lower court challenges.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Virginia_redistricting_amendment)

Key points

Amendment passed with 51.5 percent yes votes; Associated Press called it early on April 22, 2026.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)
Current map: six Democratic-held districts, five Republican-held out of 11 total.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)
Proposed map: eight safely Democratic, two competitive leaning Democratic, one safely Republican, potentially flipping up to four GOP seats.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)
Strong yes support in areas with more Black residents (+32 margin) and college-educated voters (+37); no led in whiter, rural counties.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)
Democrats outspent Republicans by about $32 million on ads; total ad spending reached $81 million.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)
Amendment expires in 2030, reverting to bipartisan commission; further litigation expected.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

Details and context

The referendum stemmed from Democratic lawmakers' push last fall to counter Republican redistricting in states like Texas, after voters created a bipartisan commission six years ago. A circuit court ruled the process flawed in January 2026, but the Virginia Supreme Court let the April 21 vote proceed, planning post-election rulings.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Virginia_redistricting_amendment)

The page's interactives highlight turnout patterns: mail-in votes favored yes by +45, Election Day no by +6; yes outperformed 2024 presidential margins in Northern Virginia but underperformed in places like Virginia Beach.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

National figures weighed in, with President Trump urging no votes and House Democratic leaders like Hakeem Jeffries supporting yes.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

Key quotes

Gov. Abigail Spanberger: Called it a temporary counter to President Trump's gerrymandering in states like Texas and North Carolina, committing to revert to the bipartisan commission.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

Why it matters

The vote tilts Virginia's congressional delegation heavily Democratic ahead of 2026 midterms, potentially netting the party up to four House seats in a national redistricting fight. It gives Democrats a concrete edge for voters and candidates in the affected districts, while Republicans face losses in what was a balanced map. Watch for Supreme Court rulings on ongoing lawsuits and primary results under the new lines, though implementation could face delays.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

What changed

Before: Virginia's congressional map had six Democratic and five Republican districts, drawn by a bipartisan commission.

Now: Approved amendment allows a Democratic-drawn map with eight safe Democratic, two leaning Democratic, and one safe Republican district for 2026-2030 elections.

When: Voters approved on April 21, 2026, with results finalized early April 22.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

FAQ

Q: What does the approved amendment allow?

A: It lets the General Assembly temporarily redraw congressional districts before 2031 to enact a specific proposed map, then returns to the Virginia Redistricting Commission after 2030. The page notes this responds to gerrymanders elsewhere while affecting 2026 elections.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)[[4]](https://www.elections.virginia.gov/election-law/proposed-amendment-for-april-2026-special-election)

Q: How did votes break down by county or demographics?

A: Yes led in urban Democratic areas like Fairfax and among Black (+32) and college-educated (+37) voters; no dominated rural Trump-won counties. Mail-in favored yes heavily, Election Day no.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

Q: Who were the main backers and opponents?

A: Democrats including Gov. Spanberger and national leaders like Hakeem Jeffries supported; Republicans like Terry Kilgore sued, and Trump opposed via social media. GOP pledged post-vote challenges.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

Q: What happens after the vote?

A: The map takes effect for 2026 if litigation fails; Virginia Supreme Court will rule on procedural challenges soon, with Republicans vowing court fights.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)

[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-virginia-redistricting.html)