By Cecilia Roberts
Virginia is just over a month away from a special election in which voters will decide whether to allow the state to temporarily change state congressional maps in the middle of the decade, a change that could give Democrats control in 10 out of 11 districts.
Since last year, the Trump administration has been advocating for the redistricting of congressional maps in states including Texas, North Carolina, Ohio and Missouri. Heading into the November elections, Republicans are trying to maintain control of Congress.
Democrats say these new redistricting plans are intended to counter the measures pushed by the presidential administration in other states.
Texas had new congressional maps approved by the Supreme Court, despite lower courts saying the map was a product of unconstitutional gerrymandering. Republicans currently occupy 25 of Texas’ 38 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
New North Carolina maps proposed in October 2025 could result in Republicans holding 11 of the state’s 14 seats in the House.
Proposed congressional maps in Missouri could give Republicans a seven to one advantage in the House. Lower Missouri courts have condemned the decision saying it violates states’ requirements. Voters have filed an appeal to the decision to be reviewed by the state Supreme Court.
Redistricting usually takes place every decade following the completion of the U.S. Census, which is in April, so these proposed mid-decade changes have stirred up contention amongst citizens of various perspectives.
“I’ve worked in politics in this community since I was a teenager in the 1980s,” said Roger Jarrell, chairman of the Rockbridge Area Republican Committee. “This is the most controversial thing I have seen. I would call it, actually, epic.”
The ballot question asks voters to decide whether to permit the General Assembly to redraw new congressional districts until 2030, saying the change is needed to restore fairness in future elections.
“We are always against gerrymandering, but we feel that this is necessary,” said Michele Hentz, Lexington Rockbridge Buena Vista Democratic Committee co-chair. “It’s a temporary, emergency exception that levels the playing field.”
Where you can vote
Voters in other states did not have the opportunity to vote proposed maps into place. In Virginia, in-person early voting began on March 6 and lasts until April 18. In-person early voters can go to the county administrative offices at 150 S. Main St. in Lexington and Lexington’s Office of Elections at 300 Diamond St. Suite B to cast their votes.
Virginia is currently represented in the House by six Democrats and five Republicans. If the proposed congressional maps go into effect, Democrats would be able to hold up to four more seats in the House.
In 2020, the Virginia state constitution was amended to form a bipartisan redistricting commission made up of members of the General Assembly and Virginia citizens. This effort sought to ensure Virginians have a role in redistricting so that the decision isn’t made solely by the Governor and the General Assembly.
Some say this redistricting attempt goes against the spirit of the bipartisan redistricting commission. The ballot question has inflamed political passions on both sides of the aisle, leading to a flurry of political advertising.
Both parties look to sway voters
Many Republicans have condemned the measure and are urging citizens to vote “no.”
U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, a Republican who represents the sixth congressional district, said the effort is a gerrymandering attempt by Democrats. Cline says he wants to ensure that his constituents, many of whom are farmers and agricultural workers, are best represented in Washington.
“If Rockbridge County is just one part of another district with different priorities, and the Shenandoah Valley gets chopped up into multiple districts, that’s going to dilute and reduce the effectiveness of those who would advocate for agriculture as a priority,” Cline said.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, and former President Barack Obama have endorsed the ballot question and encouraged citizens to vote “yes.”
Many Rockbridge Democrats are in favor of voting “yes” for the referendum. They characterize it as a way to defend themselves from the redistricting that’s been happening in states like Texas, where Democratic seats are being eliminated.
Sen. Creigh Deeds, a Democrat who represents Virginia’s 11th district in the state Senate, echoed similar sentiments as the Democratic Committee.
“This temporary proposal is in direct response to the president’s actions in other states,” Deeds said. “I’m not saying it’s pretty. I’m not saying that everybody’s going to be happy with it. But everybody is generally not happy with anything.”
Political parties and advocacy groups from both sides of the spectrum have been seeking to sway voters with roadside signs, flyers, online ads and discussions, television ads, and texting campaigns. They have also been knocking on doors and holding meetings to answer questions and guide voters to the polls.
The Democratic Committee has particularly been maximizing texting, phone banking, and postcard mailing outreach efforts.
“This is about free and fair elections, and this is the cornerstone of our democracy,” Hentz said.
Political groups on both sides of the issue have been flooding the air waves and internet with commercials in an attempt to sway voters.
The group Virginians for Fair Maps published an ad calling the move partisan gerrymandering. On the end of the spectrum, an ad sponsored by Virginians for Fair Elections urges voters to approve the measure, it is a necessary response to republican-led redistricting pushes in other states.
Lexington Mayor Frank Friedman, an independent, says every election is contentious and controversial, but it’s important to get voters inspired to go to the polls.
“I think the process that we have in place is satisfactory and we should continue on with the districts that we have,” Friedman said.