Judge Slams the Brakes on Democrats’ Virginia Redistricting, Rules Every Vote ‘Ineffective’

A Virginia state court judge ruled Wednesday that the state’s redistricting referendum, passed the previous day, was legally flawed from its inception and therefore void.

Virginians voted on Tuesday, 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent, to allow the redrawing of the state’s congressional districts, taking the current party breakdown from a 6-5 split to a potential 10-1 party advantage.

Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley issued an injunction late Wednesday, concluding, “Any and all votes for or against the proposed constitutional amendment in the April 21, 2026 special election are ineffective,” CNBC reported.

The judge said the referendum question was void “ab initio” — Latin for “from the beginning.”

There was already an active court challenge brought by Republicans before Tuesday’s election.

In January, a Tazewell County state court judge ruled against the Democrats’ redistricting plan, listing several issues with the effort. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled in March that