Gerrymandering involves manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency to favor one party. What began with Texas' redistricting push has triggered responses in both parties' strongholds.
Republican‑led redraws in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Utah aim to boost GOP seats, while Democratic initiatives in California and Virginia seek to protect or flip seats; Florida is also planning a special session.
In Old Dominion, early voting kicked off last week for a special election on a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state legislature to redraw congressional maps.
If it passes, four seats currently held by Republicans could shift to Democrats; the current 6-5 split of the 11 House seats in Virginia would suddenly be 10-1 in favor of Democrats.
"I think we're in like the final stage of this mid-decade redistricting war," FRC Action Director Matt Carpenter recently told Washington Watch. "We've already seen six states take up this redistricting, before the apportionment in 2030. It's been tit for tat, but it seems like Virginia Democrats are inclined to put maybe a big win on the board."
TV ads claim the move will "restore fairness," but he asserted it will do the opposite.
"Virginia Democrats are saying that it would actually be more fair for the Democratic majority and the Democratic governor (pictured above) to undercut that bipartisan redistricting commission and instead draw hyper-partisan gerrymander districts across the state," Carpenter summarized.
The ballot question asks, "Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in the upcoming elections, while ensuring Virginia's standard redistricting process resumes for all future redistricting after the 2030 census?"
Carpenter called the wording misleading.
"For a state that went for Kamala Harris by just five points in 2024, 46% of the electorate is ostensibly Republican," hee added. "To end up with just 9% of the congressional delegation with one seat, that's a pretty partisan result."
Across the U.S., redistricting has become a highly partisan battleground ahead of the 2026 elections. Some incumbents, including Utah Republican Burgess Owens, have announced retirements influenced by redistricting outcomes.
Many of the efforts are tied up in litigation and judicial rulings, but the U.S. Supreme Court has stayed lower court decisions and allowed certain maps, such as those in Texas, to stand pending litigation.
Local and state courts are also weighing the legality of amendments and referendum processes in places like Virginia and Utah.
