The Supreme Court of Virginia has denied a request from Democrats and state officials to lift a lower-court orderblocking certification of the April 21 redistricting referendum, leaving a voter-approved congressional map that could flip four Republican U.S. House seats in legal limbo just months before the 2026 midterm elections.

On Friday,the Supreme Court of Virginiadeniedan emergency request from Democratic Attorney General Jay Jonesto allow the State Board of Elections to certify the results of the April 21 special referendum. The move keeps in place a Tazewell County Circuit Court ruling that halted any state action on the map, which Democrats designed to flip up to four Republican-held U.S. House seats and create a 10-1 Democratic advantage in Virginia’s 11-member delegation.

The move comes as the Supreme Court continues to review whether Democratic lawmakers followed proper constitutional procedures when they placed the mid-decade redistricting amendment on the ballot.

🚨 BREAKING: The Virginia Supreme Court has overturned the Democrat gerrymandering referendum, ruling that the process to put in on the ballot was unconstitutional.Virginia will keep their 5 Republican districts.pic.twitter.com/MK4kFd6nBS

The decision does not represent a final ruling on the constitutionality of the effort.The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on April 27 and is still weighing the core legal questions. As of May 8, 2026, no merits decision has been issued, and the new map remains blocked.

The saga began in late 2025 after Texas Republicans redrew their congressional map mid-decade to gain seats.Virginia Democrats, who gained full control of state government after the 2025 elections, responded with a constitutional amendment allowing the General Assembly to temporarily redraw congressional districts outside the normal 10-year cycle - specifically to “restore fairness” if other states gerrymandered.

The amendment passed the legislature in a special session and again in January 2026, was signed by Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, and went to voters on April 21. A heavily gerrymandered replacement map - passed by Democrats in February - accompanied the amendment. It splits Prince William and Fairfax counties into multiple districts in ways critics called “baconmandered” and would make 10 of 11 districts Democratic-leaning based on past voting patterns.

Voters approved the measure by a narrow51.7% to 48.3%margin (roughly 1.604 million to 1.499 million votes) in a high-turnout special election that became the most expensive in Virginia history, with over $93 million spent.

Current Virginia House delegation:6 Democrats and 5 Republicans.

Democrats spent north of $80 million on the Virginia referendum.Almost half of it came from Hakeem Jeffries' personal 501(c)4, House Majority Forward.Louise Lucas, Don Scott, and Abigail Spanberger exerted so much of their political capital to get it passed.All to be…

Source: ZeroHedge News