Trending Now - Virginia Supreme Court Nullifies Voter-backed Congressional Map

WHO:

CNN - Virginia Supreme Court

Alternet - Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger

Alternet - Lawyer Don Dechert

Alternet - Lawyer Benjamin Kabask

Alternet - Zeto political correspondent Asawin Suebsaeng

WHAT:

NPR - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling nullified the results of a special election where 1.6 million Virginians approved redistricting that Democrats hoped would win them four more House seats.

NBC News - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling was a 4-3 decision, stating that the legislature followed the wrong process for putting the question on the ballot.

NBC News - The ruling was described as a significant victory for Republicans, who argued that the Democratic-drawn map would grant them a 10-1 advantage in congressional representation.

WJLA - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling was split four to three, with Chief Justice Cleo Elaine Powell issuing a dissent.

WJLA - The court stated, "This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void."

WJLA - Virginia's current congressional representation consists of six Democrats and five Republicans.

WJLA - Democrats are appealing the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court and have requested a delay in issuing a mandate while the appeal is underway.

CNN - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is a damaging blow to national Democrats who hoped to gain as many as four US House seats in the upcoming midterms.

Alternet - The court's ruling stated, "We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia."

Alternet - The court's ruling stated that the constitutional violation "incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy."

Alternet - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is the first instance of a high court striking down a vote of the people on a redistricting measure.

NBC News - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is a significant victory for Republicans, who argued that the Democratic-drawn map would grant them a 10-1 advantage in congressional representation.

Fox News - The ruling is viewed as a significant victory for Republicans, who argued the map was an "unconstitutional power grab."

NY Post - The Virginia Supreme Court declared the congressional districts approved by voters to be null and void.

Alternet - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is the first instance of a high court striking down a vote of the people on a redistricting measure.

Alternet - The court's ruling stated, "We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia."

Alternet - The court's ruling stated that the constitutional violation "incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy."

CNN - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is a damaging blow to national Democrats who hoped to gain as many as four US House seats in this fall’s fight for the midterms.

Alternet - The Virginia Supreme Court's decision marks the first instance of a high court striking down a vote of the people on a redistricting measure.

NBC News - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is a significant victory for Republicans, who argued that the Democratic-drawn map would grant them a 10-1 advantage in congressional representation.

Fox News - The ruling is viewed as a significant victory for Republicans, who argued the map was an "unconstitutional power grab."

CNN - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is a damaging blow to national Democrats who hoped to gain as many as four US House seats in the upcoming midterms.

Alternet - The Virginia Supreme Court's decision marks the first instance of a high court striking down a vote of the people on a redistricting measure.

Fox News - The ruling is viewed as a significant victory for Republicans, who argued the map was an "unconstitutional power grab."

NY Post - The Virginia Supreme Court declared the congressional districts approved by voters to be null and void.

NBC News - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is a significant victory for Republicans, who argued that the Democratic-drawn map would grant them a 10-1 advantage in congressional representation.

CNN - The Virginia Supreme Court's ruling is considered a damaging blow to national Democrats, who had hoped to gain as many as four US House seats in the upcoming midterms.

Alternet - The Virginia Supreme Court's decision marks the first instance of a high court striking down a vote of the people on a redistricting measure.

CNN - The Virginia Supreme Court voided a referendum that aimed to redraw the state’s US House map.

Alternet - The court ruled that the legislative process for the referendum violated the Virginia Constitution.

Fox News - The ruling is viewed as a significant victory for Republicans, who argued the map was an "unconstitutional power grab."

NY Post - The Virginia Supreme Court declared the congressional districts approved by voters to be null and void.

WHERE:

CNN - Virginia

WHEN:

Alternet - The referendum was passed in April's special election.

WHY:

Alternet - The court found that the process employed to advance the proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia.

HOW:

NBC News - The opinion was written by Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, who stated that the Democratic-led legislature violated procedural requirements when placing the constitutional amendment on the ballot.

WJLA - The opinion was written by Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, who stated that the Democratic-led legislature violated procedural requirements when placing the constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Alternet - Lawyer Don Dechert commented, "Disheartening, but also should broaden talks about court reform in the states."

Alternet - Lawyer Benjamin Kabask expressed frustration, stating, "You can have a legislature vote for something and the public ratify it, but if 4 Republicans in robes don't like it, it's not law."

Alternet - Lawyer Don Dechert commented, "Disheartening, but also should broaden talks about court reform in the states."

Alternet - Lawyer Benjamin Kabask expressed frustration, stating, "You can have a legislature vote for something and the public ratify it, but if 4 Republicans in robes don't like it, it's not law. F—— this s——. Our country is finished."

Alternet - Lawyer Don Dechert commented, "Disheartening, but also should broaden talks about court reform in the states."

Alternet - Lawyer Benjamin Kabask expressed frustration, stating, "You can have a legislature vote for something and the public ratify it, but if 4 Republicans in robes don't like it, it's not law."

Alternet - Lawyer Don Dechert commented, "Disheartening, but also should broaden talks about court reform in the states."

Alternet - Lawyer Benjamin Kabask expressed frustration, stating, "You can have a legislature vote for something and the public ratify it, but if 4 Republicans in robes don't like it, it's not law."

Alternet - The court's ruling stated, "Disheartening, but also should broaden talks about court reform in the states," according to lawyer Don Dechert. Lawyer Benjamin Kabask expressed frustration, stating, "You can have a legislature vote for something and the public ratify it, but if 4 Republicans in robes don't like it, it's not law."

Alternet - The court's ruling stated, "We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia."

Alternet - The court's ruling stated that the constitutional violation "incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy."

(UPDATED May 9, 2026 13:18 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled to nullify the results of a special election in which 1.6 million Virginians approved a redistricting plan that Democrats hoped would secure them four additional House seats. In a closely contested 4-3 decision, the court found that the legislature did not follow the correct process for placing the question on the ballot, a ruling described as a significant victory for Republicans. Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, who authored the opinion, stated that the Democratic-led legislature violated procedural requirements in their efforts to amend the constitution.

(UPDATED May 9, 2026 11:14 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has issued a split ruling of four to three, declaring that a violation by the Democratic-led legislature has irreparably undermined the integrity of a recent referendum vote, rendering it null and void. Chief Justice Cleo Elaine Powell dissented, while Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, who wrote the opinion, highlighted the procedural missteps in placing the constitutional amendment on the ballot. In response, Democrats are appealing the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court and have requested a delay in issuing a mandate during the appeal process.

(UPDATED May 9, 2026 07:32 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has delivered a significant setback to national Democrats by ruling that the legislative process used to advance a proposal for US House seats violated the state's constitution. The court declared that this constitutional violation "incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy," leaving Democrats with fewer opportunities in the upcoming midterms. Lawyers involved in the case expressed their disappointment, with one stating that this situation should spark broader discussions about court reform in the states.

(UPDATED May 9, 2026 04:07 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has made history by striking down a voter-approved redistricting measure, marking the first time a high court has nullified a decision made by the people on this issue. This ruling is seen as a significant victory for Republicans, who contended that the Democratic-drawn map would unfairly give them a 10-1 advantage in congressional representation, with critics labeling it an "unconstitutional power grab." Lawyers commenting on the decision expressed deep frustration, highlighting concerns about the implications for democracy and the need for court reform in the states.

(UPDATED May 9, 2026 01:28 UTC)

In a landmark decision, the Virginia Supreme Court has become the first high court to strike down a vote of the people regarding a redistricting measure, declaring that the legislative process used to advance the proposal violated the state's constitution. The ruling emphasized that this constitutional violation "incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy." Lawyer Benjamin Kabask expressed his frustration over the ruling, stating that it undermines the democratic process when a small group can override the will of the legislature and the public.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 23:18 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has delivered a significant blow to national Democrats by ruling against a redistricting measure that they hoped would secure them up to four additional US House seats in the upcoming midterms. This decision marks the first time a high court has overturned a vote of the people on such a measure, and it is seen as a major victory for Republicans, who argued that the Democratic-drawn map would create an unfair 10-1 advantage in congressional representation. Lawyers have expressed their disappointment, with one stating that the ruling should spark discussions about court reform, while another highlighted the troubling notion that a few judges can override the will of both the legislature and the public.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 21:19 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that the congressional districts approved by voters are null and void, marking a significant victory for Republicans who argued that the map represented an unconstitutional power grab. This decision is a damaging blow to national Democrats who were hoping to gain as many as four US House seats in the upcoming midterms and is the first instance of a high court striking down a vote of the people on a redistricting measure. Lawyers have expressed their frustration over the ruling, with one stating that it raises important questions about court reform in the states.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 19:19 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has delivered a significant victory for Republicans by ruling against a Democratic-drawn map that was believed to give them a 10-1 advantage in congressional representation. Following the decision, lawyer Don Dechert described the outcome as "disheartening," while Benjamin Kabask expressed frustration over the power of a few justices to override legislative and public support. This ruling is expected to spark broader discussions about court reform in the states.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 17:20 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has delivered a significant setback to national Democrats by ruling against a redistricting measure that they hoped would help them gain up to four US House seats in the upcoming midterms. This decision is notable as it marks the first time a high court has overturned a vote of the people regarding redistricting. In its ruling, the court stated, "We hold that the legislative process employed to advance this proposal violated Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia."

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 15:22 UTC)

The Virginia Supreme Court has voided a referendum that sought to redraw the state’s US House map, ruling that the legislative process used to advance the proposal violated the Virginia Constitution. This decision is seen as a significant victory for Republicans, who argued that the map constituted an "unconstitutional power grab," and it declared the congressional districts approved by voters to be null and void. The court's ruling emphasized that the constitutional violation "incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy."