Virginia judge blocks redistricting referendum from being certified
Source: ABC7
ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) A Virginia judge blocked the state from certifying the results of Tuesday's congressional map referendum, deeming the referendum and the bill that triggered it as unconstitutional, according to a judge's order issued Wednesday.
Virginia's current attorney general, Jay Jones, confirmed to 7News on Wednesday that his office would appeal the decision.
The order, according to officials, came from the Tazewell Circuit Court, which previously blocked the referendum after repeatedly deeming the vote and the resolution for the referendum unconstitutional, siding with Republicans who filed several suits.
Virginia voters on Tuesday narrowly advanced legislation to redraw the states Congressional maps, a move that could give Democrats 10 out of the 11 seats in the U.S. House. Currently, there are six Democrats and five Republicans representing the state.
Read more: https://wjla.com/news/local/virginia-congressional-map-redistricting-referendum-vote-attorney-general-tazewell-county-court-republicans-enjoins-injuctive-relief-voters-election-democrats-house-representatives
VMA131Marine
(5,343 posts)This will obviously go to the State Supreme Court.
PuraVidaDreamin
(4,698 posts)These asses are so exhausting.
I'm so exhausted that when I go to work, noticed that
I was wearing still wearing my slippers. (RN at Adult Day Health)
At least my feet were comfortable all day.
pnwmom
(110,326 posts)because you put them on in the dark.
Deuxcents
(27,763 posts)In the courts because they dont want the voters to have their say. TSF was ranting that it was rigged and blah, blah
MadameButterfly
(4,176 posts)The ruling depends on what judge you get. The VA Supreme Court Justices all are listed as "nonpartisan".
There are good arguments for courts not approving this law. In that it is inherently unfair if you are only looking at Virginia. It's fair taken in the context of the gerrymandering going on nationally. I'm not sure state justices get to consider that. At least in a reasonable state with reasonable judges. The red states will have no problem with their justices saying ok to extreme gerrymandering.
Lovie777
(23,796 posts)it will motive the masses to vote against them.
This guy is desperate
LetMyPeopleVote
(182,369 posts)There will be an appeal
WTF? THE PEOPLE IF VA VOTED ð¤¬ð¤¬ð¤¬
— (Debbie)ðððð¼âï¸ð¶âï¸ð (@felicianmitzi.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T21:22:43.850Z
Virginia court blocks voter-approved redistricting, appeal coming - Democracy Docket share.google/bTbShobuTknZ...
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/virginia-court-blocks-voter-approved-redistricting-appeal-coming/
In a decision issued Wednesday on a Republican lawsuit, a judge in Tazewell County ruled that the legislatures constitutional amendment and the referendum voters just approved were invalid a move that immediately blocks the state from implementing the new districts.
The court declared the amendment invalid from the start, and ordered that any and all votes for or against the proposed constitutional amendment in the April 21, 2026 special election are ineffective.
The judge also went further, issuing a permanent injunction a legal order that blocks action going forward preventing state officials from certifying the results and from taking any actions to give effect to the proposed constitutional amendment.
But despite the sweeping language, this ruling is far from the final word.
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) moved immediately to challenge the decision, signaling a fast-track appeal that could quickly shift the case to higher courts.
pnwmom
(110,326 posts)BumRushDaShow
(172,548 posts)SSJVegeta
(3,172 posts)BumRushDaShow
(172,548 posts)SSJVegeta
(3,172 posts)SamuelAdams
(215 posts)You would think he would eventually go along with the VA SC ruling.
BumRushDaShow
(172,548 posts)samsingh
(18,476 posts)it's a travesty that he gets paid by the taxpayer for being anything but a judge. he's a hack.
Cha
(320,794 posts)LetMyPeopleVote
(182,369 posts)Link to tweet
See full statement from AG Jones below:

Polybius
(22,138 posts)BumRushDaShow
(172,548 posts)Once that was done, they did their final ruling.
It's just like the SCOTUS denying stays and allowing a process to continue until they get all the arguments before them, and finally decide what to do next, e.g. remand to a lower court or deciding to strike certain parts but agreeing to others. I didn't read the ruling (it's often harder to get copies of state court rulings versus federal and yesterday had a huge news dump of a bunch of stories, so it was a struggle to keep track).
TomSlick
(13,093 posts)The Virginia Supreme Court was going to hear this one way or another.
maxsolomon
(39,158 posts)No wonder the GOP went running back to Appalachia.
Aristus
(72,563 posts)Fuck...
maxsolomon
(39,158 posts)But it seems a reliable court to file in - the GOP does like to go Judge shopping.
Here is his honor:
https://ballotpedia.org/Jack_S._Hurley,_Jr.
He was appointed, not elected, 14 years ago. Doesn't sound like he's ever worked outside this county.
Aristus
(72,563 posts)He just judges according to the diktats of the local Boss Hogg?
Maeve
(43,506 posts)Have a friend who says if you disparage the people (or pronounce the mountains' name wrong) he'll throw an apple at ya.
Someone will get that....
oldsoldierfadingfast
(388 posts)Foothills of Apple at ya gal - I got it with no problem!
AND That Apple at ya judge ain't no Jay Jones!!!
Karasu
(2,094 posts)redistricting through without even letting the public vote on it?
You know, like fascists do?
BumRushDaShow
(172,548 posts)They continue to give Abbott a pass.
Karasu
(2,094 posts)The people voted - this, to me, is quite scary.
Polybius
(22,138 posts)Remember Proposition 187 and Proposition 8 in California? The people voted for that too, and they were both struck down. Here in Staten Island, the people also voted for SI succession.
pcdb
(134 posts)1.) the state violated the 90-day public notice between the legislative approval and the start of voting.
2.) the wording of the amendment is misleading "Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections,"
Gerrymandering isn't synonymous with "restore fairness"
AllyCat
(19,004 posts)Wisconsin does not have ballot initiatives. The GOP has put forth Constitutional amendments every election that are worded so badly, even seasoned political junkies struggle to understand what a yes or no vote means.
That hardly seems like a reason to throw this out, even if its in another state.
cstanleytech
(28,613 posts)Aristus
(72,563 posts)paleotn
(22,790 posts)It's on auto-appeal. It was expected to end up the VA supreme court anyway.
Aristus
(72,563 posts)It's so hard not to despair these days. Seems we can't eke out even a single substantive win. Polls show 'its' support crashing. But it doesn't do us any good. He got his second term, and he means to make the worst of it. All the carefully-calculated, prime-time-ready remorse among his former followers isn't going to stop his next atrocity.
Your optimism is why I'm still here at DU after twenty-five years. May it ever be thus.
Hassin Bin Sober
(27,500 posts)The Virginia Supreme Court was holding off looking at the case until after the vote. This is where the fight it.
DoBW
(3,340 posts)NEW: A republican judge has blocked the redistricting effort in Virginia, invalidating yesterday's vote. But it's a pause, not a defeat. Read more here: www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
— Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.com) 2026-04-22T21:25:08.973Z
Cha
(320,794 posts)Gill has to say.
Keepthesoulalive
(2,421 posts)Not a big deal. They are going to appeal.
Cha
(320,794 posts)Keepthesoulalive
(2,421 posts)But we will keep fighting. We are damned determined to beat these monsters, we we will never give up.
Cha
(320,794 posts)NoMoreRepugs
(12,239 posts)paleotn
(22,790 posts)VA AG was ready and waiting for this.
Tazwell County. I've been there. It's BF Egypt on steroids. Only surpassed in backwardness by Lee County. Nothing is as bad as Lee County. West Virginia perhaps, but it's close. The landscape is gorgious. The people on the other hand.
https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/virginia/virginia-ag-promises-to-fight-new-injunction-on-redistricting-referendum/291-0944a464-b2d7-4ea6-9979-56c35611f71b
lostincalifornia
(5,575 posts)overturned by the Virginia Supreme Court. So hopefully the same thing will happen with this.
These are the most despicable people.
Mysterian
(6,654 posts)Tazewell is shit-hole strip mine country.
Polybius
(22,138 posts)AverageOldGuy
(4,202 posts)The judge is a small-time magistrate in deep rural Tazewell County in Southwest Virginia -- coal country.
When the redistricting referendum was proposed, the blocked it, Democrats sued, the State Supreme Court slapped him down.
His ruling will be overturned.
Boo1
(473 posts)Just a political hack trying to make a name to run for another office one day.
This will be overturned and the certification complete within days.
SouthBayDem
(33,369 posts)WJLA used to be co-owned with Politico before being bought by Sinclair in 2014.
pnwmom
(110,326 posts)We have one in Seattle, too. There are more than 100 across the country.
3825-87867
(2,020 posts)rule in the Va Congress just as Abbott did in Texass.
Then let the Heritage Asses try to fight that.
LiberalArkie
(19,926 posts)Something we need to develop
SSJVegeta
(3,172 posts)But yeah: they play it well
travelingthrulife
(5,624 posts)lees1975
(7,198 posts)It was vetted long before it was introduced.
Polybius
(22,138 posts)But it was upheld today.