The move could increase the Democrats' chances of winning four currently Republican-held seats in Congress in midterm elections in November.
https://p.dw.com/p/5CcVkVoters in Virginia approved a plan to redistrict the state's congressional mapImage: Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFPAdvertisementVoters in the US state of Virginia on Tuesday narrowly approved a plan to redraw congressional electoral boundaries.
The constiutional amendment could increase the Democrats' chances of winning four currently Republican-held seats in Congress in midterm elections in November.
It bypasses a redistricting commission made up of both Democrats and Republicans and allows a new map drawn by the state's Democrat-led General Assembly.
“Virginia just changed the trajectory of the 2026 midterms,” the speaker of the state's House, Don Scott, said in a statement.
Republicans currently hold a slim 217-seat majority in the lower house of Congress, the House of Representatives, while Democrats have 213 seats.
President Donald Trump had urged Virginians to vote against the measure, saying in a post on his Truth Social platform: "VIRGINIA, VOTE 'NO' TO SAVE YOUR COUNTRY."
The measure comes after Texas lawmakers redraw the congressional map of the state in August, which could help Republicans pick up five more seats in midterm elections.
The new Texas map was introduced after US President Donald Trump urged his party to redraw districts to the benefit of Republicans.
Republicans carried out similar measures in the states of Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, while Democrats responded with a redrawing effort in California in November.
Republicans are to continue the redrawing battle in Florida, with plans for the state's legislature to begin redistricting on April 28.
The outcome of the Tuesday vote in Virginia could help effectively cancel out the Texas redistricting.
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