Virginia voters narrowly approved a modern electoral map on April 21, 2026, with 50.7% supporting the change according to CNN projections.
The referendum was widely seen as a response to redistricting efforts pushed by Donald Trump in several Republican-led states.
Former President Barack Obama publicly praised the outcome on X, calling it a defense of democracy and thanking Virginians for pushing back.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger echoed the sentiment, stating voters had stood up to a president who claims entitlement to more Republican seats in Congress.
Currently, six of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts are represented by Democrats; the new map aims to increase that number to ten in the November midterm elections.
For more on this story, see Voters in Virginia Consider Ballot Measure to Amend Constitution for Democratic-Controlled General Assembly.
Political analyst Larry Sabato noted the campaign saw millions of dollars in spending from both sides, including direct involvement from Trump.
Trump participated in a Monday evening rally by phone, urging a “no” vote, and later used his Truth Social platform to call for supporters to “save the country” after polls opened Tuesday morning.
Sabato also shared that constant exposure to Obama-backed advertisements made it difficult to avoid the pro-“yes” messaging whereas watching television in Virginia.
This follows our earlier report, Virginia Special Election: Redistricting Amendment Vote.
Critics of the original map accused Republicans of gerrymandering — drawing district lines to weaken Democratic voting power through irregular geographic boundaries.
What is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering refers to the practice of redrawing electoral district boundaries to advantage one political party, often resulting in unusually shaped constituencies.
Why did Trump oppose the Virginia referendum?
Trump opposed the referendum because he viewed the new map as a threat to Republican electoral gains in Virginia and had actively campaigned against it.