Virginia Democrats' redistricting resolution violates state law and should be overturned by the Supreme Court
Source: "JONATHAN TURLEY: Virginia Dems' redistricting scam hits court — will justices stop it? | Fox News." April 26, 2026. www.foxnews.com
The Gist
Virginia Democrats passed a redistricting plan that wipes out almost all Republican districts through a deceptive ballot measure that broke state laws about clear language and proper procedures. The state Supreme Court should throw it out because it's both legally flawed and fundamentally unfair.
Conclusion
The Virginia Supreme Court should overturn the redistricting resolution because it violates state law and constitutional requirements
Premises
- The resolution used misleading and vague language that violated Virginia's legal requirement for clarity in ballot measures
- The process to rush the resolution to the ballot was abridged and unprecedented, violating established procedures
- The map eliminates virtually all Republican representation (10 of 11 districts) in a purple state that is evenly divided politically
- Governor Spanberger campaigned against gerrymandering but then immediately pursued the most radical gerrymandered map in the nation
- A lower court judge (Tazewell Circuit Judge Jack Hurley) already found the resolution problematic enough to issue an injunction
- Attorney General Jay Jones cannot adequately defend the resolution's constitutionality when directly questioned
- The campaign was so dishonest that even the Washington Post called it 'shockingly dishonest and misleading'
Assumptions
- State laws requiring clarity in ballot language should be strictly enforced
- Established procedural norms for ballot measures have legal significance
- Political representation should roughly reflect the political composition of the electorate
- Campaign promises against gerrymandering create legitimate voter expectations
- Lower court rulings indicate serious legal problems that higher courts should address