The US Supreme Court has rejected Virginia Democrats' attempt to reinstate a congressional map that would have given them a chance to gain four seats in the House of Representatives. The order, issued without any noted dissent, marks the latest development in the nation's mid-decade redistricting competition.
The case stemmed from a 4-3 ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court that struck down a constitutional amendment narrowly passed by voters last month. The state court found that the Democratic-controlled legislature improperly began the process of placing the amendment on the ballot after early voting had begun in the state's general election last autumn.
Virginia Democrats had argued that the state court misread federal law and Supreme Court precedent, which hold that an election does not occur until election day itself, even if early voting is underway. However, the Supreme Court typically does not intervene in state court proceedings unless a federal law issue is present.
The rejected map was intended as a response to Republican gains in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio, and to counter a new map in Florida. Its passage briefly turned the nationwide redistricting scramble into a draw between the two parties, but the Virginia Supreme Court's decision unravelled that balance.
Virginia's Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, has confirmed that the state will hold this year's elections under the current districts established in 2021. The state's Republican party chair, Jeff Ryer, welcomed the Supreme Court's decision, stating that it should put an end to Democrats' efforts to disenfranchise half of Virginia.
