Virginia judge blocks redrawn congressional maps approved by voters

A Virginia state judge blocked officials from certifying the approval of new congressional maps in Old Dominion, a day after voters narrowly passed them.

Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. called the ballot measure to approve the maps "flagrantly misleading" in a ruling April 22 on a lawsuit brought by the Republican National Committee. Hurley said lawmakers had not followed the rules for the constitutional amendment that the map redrawing required.

Virginia Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones said in a statement posted to social media that he would appeal the ruling and "looks forward" to defending the measure.

"An activist judge should not have power of the People's vote," Jay said.

The referendum already has faced multiple legal challenges. The Supreme Court of Virginia allowed the referendum to proceed despite a separate case before it arguing the measure, which said the new districts would "restore fairness," was unfair and misleading. The court was set to review the legality of the referendum in the coming weeks.

Kyle Kondik, an executive at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told USA TODAY on election night that "this map might not be in effect this November" but that voter approval was "definitely a huge hurdle to jump."

Democrats now hold six of the state's 11 congressional seats, but under the voter-approved maps, they are poised to have an overwhelming 10-1 advantage. The vote was part of a larger gerrymandering arms race President Donald Trump started last year to thwart an expected "blue wave" in the 2026 midterm elections.

Contributing: Reuters