Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a referendum to redraw the state’s congressional map in a way that would give Democrats a 10-1 advantage, marking the latest front in a nationwide push by both parties to tilt the House battlefield in their favor.
The Associated Press called the race in favor of the referendum at 8:49 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. With 81% of ballots counted, “yes” votes led with 50.3% to 49.7% for “no.”
The proposal allows the General Assembly to temporarily redraw congressional districts, a move Democrats say is needed to counter Republican-led redistricting efforts in other states. With the measure now approved, the plan is expected to shift Virginia’s current 6-5 Democratic House majority into a map favoring Democrats in as many as 10 of the state’s 11 districts.
Democrats hold 6 of Virginia’s 11 House seats under the current map, which was created by a bipartisan commission. The new map
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