Virginia voters begin redistricting referendum voting

(The Center Square) – Virginians can begin casting ballots Friday in a special election that could affect how congressional districts are redrawn in the commonwealth, even as the legality of the referendum itself remains under review by the state Supreme Court.

Early voting began for a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the Virginia General Assembly to redraw congressional districts before the next census under limited circumstances. Election Day for the referendum is April 21.

Virginia’s congressional districts are drawn once every decade through a redistricting process created by a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2020. The state’s districts were adopted in 2021 and are scheduled to remain in place until the next redistricting cycle following the 2030 census.

The amendment on the ballot would temporarily allow lawmakers to redraw one or more congressional districts before 2031 if another state redraws its districts mid-decade without a court order. That authority would expire O...