Early turnout climbs as regional gaps emerge in Virginia

(The Center Square) – More than 181,000 Virginians have already cast early ballots ahead of April 21 in the state’s referendum on congressional map redrawing, with turnout picking up as voting moves into its second week.

The referendum is to decide whether to amend Virginia’s constitution to allow lawmakers to redraw congressional districts before the next census under limited conditions. It returns to every 10 years in 2030.

The measure is still facing legal challenges, though the Virginia Supreme Court has allowed early voting to continue while those cases are reviewed.

Data from the Virginia Public Access Project, citing the Virginia Department of Elections, shows 181,518 early votes cast statewide as of Monday.

Most ballots have been cast in person, with mail voting making up a smaller share. Voting activity has increased in recent days after a slower start when early voting began March 6.

On Friday, more than 40,000 ballots were cast in a single day, including about 27,000 in-perso...