Virginia’s Supreme Court dealt a crushing blow to Democrats Tuesday, refusing to pause a lower court order that blocks certification of a controversial redistricting referendum. The decision stops Governor Abigail Spanberger’s power grab to gerrymander the state through 2030.
Court Ruling Halts Certification
The Virginia Supreme Court denied Attorney General Jason Jones’s emergency request to lift the injunction blocking the State Board of Elections from certifying the April 21 referendum results. A Tazewell Circuit Court judge had declared the referendum unconstitutional last week, entering an injunction that prevents Democrats from moving forward with their redistricting plan. The Supreme Court’s Tuesday ruling means certification remains blocked while the legal battle continues through the appeals process.
BIG NEWS: Virginia Supreme Court refuses to stay lower court ruling putting the leftist Virginia gerrymander scheme on hold. https://t.co/uevuXBAerg
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) April 28, 2026
What Democrats Tried to Do
Virginia voters narrowly passed the referendum on April 21, which would transfer redistricting power from the state’s current nonpartisan commission to the Democrat-controlled legislature. Fox News reported the change could result in a 10-1 advantage for Democrats in Virginia’s congressional delegation, jumping from their current 6-5 edge. The ballot measure would give Democrats temporary redistricting power through the 2030 election, potentially disenfranchising millions of Virginia independents and Republicans through partisan map-drawing.
Governor’s Broken Campaign Promise
Governor Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s radical Democrat governor, promised voters during her campaign that she would not support gerrymandering or the congressional redistricting referendum. Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, who leads the Election Transparency Initiative and is spearheading the legal challenge, announced the Tazewell Circuit Court’s initial ruling blocking certification. The judge not only declared the referendum unconstitutional but also denied Democrats’ request for a stay pending appeal.
Constitutional Battle Continues
Legal experts confirm the Supreme Court’s decision addresses only the stay request, not the merits of the underlying appeal. The certification remains blocked while courts examine whether the redistricting referendum violates Virginia’s constitution. Democrats hoped the emergency stay would allow them to certify results and implement new congressional maps before the legal challenge concluded. The Supreme Court’s denial means Virginia’s nonpartisan redistricting commission maintains control while constitutional questions get resolved through proper judicial review.